


I'll Walk With You

by gneebee



Category: The Walking Dead (TV), bethyl - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Love, Mild Smut, Romance, love and romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:06:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 30,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29010996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gneebee/pseuds/gneebee
Relationships: Daryl Dixon and Beth Greene, Daryl Dixon/Beth Greene
Comments: 53
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for checking out my new Bethyl Story. Although we'll flashback to their teen years to learn their backstory, this is a tale of adult Bethyl love. I hope you enjoy it.

00

She's got a little case of first-day-on-the-job jitters as she watches the loud black and chrome machine approaching the window. Whoever the rider is, he's her very first customer on her very first day at the Bean Brew Coffee Hut.

As she slides the window open she reminds herself she needs the tips, and with that in mind there's a smile on her face and one in her voice when she greets him, "Good morning! What can I get for you today?"

The rider's arms are big and muscled, and she can't quite take her eyes off of those impressive muscles as she watches him reach up and pull his helmet off. He shakes his hair out like a puppy fresh from a bath, then combs it back with open fingers.

When she sees his face her eyes open wide and she can feel her jaw drop. Is it really him?! He looks at her, smiles that same old smile and says, "Beth. It's been so long since I seen ya girl. How ya been?"

She silently wills her voice to remain calm and tries to sound casual when she answers, "I've been doing good, Daryl. Gosh, it's been years."

All those years don't matter, he's never been far from her mind. Neither has that day so long ago when it all began.

It was the day Daryl Dixon walked her home.

00

**Ten Years Earlier**

It was the second month of her second year at Clausen Middle School in Clausenville, GA. She was a good girl, a solid "B" student and it was in her nature to always be on her best behavior. She didn't mind the schoolwork and she liked her teachers just fine. But she was also quiet and timid and never felt like she quite fit in with the other girls.

She'd known most of the girls in her grade since kindergarten, but things had changed. They'd all grown up so much. Now, at 13 year's old, Beth felt like they'd passed her up. They were more physically mature, they all wore makeup and the latest styles, they got their hair done at a real salon and they all seemed to be a little boy crazy.

Beth found no fault with any of them, she didn't doubt it was her who was the odd one. She accepted the fact she was just different. Besides, no one was mean and certainly no one bullied her in any way, but she had no close friends and she often felt lonely and left out.

Then one fateful day everything changed forever.

It was a Friday afternoon like any other. The last bell of the day rang and the halls quickly filled with students anxious to get out and start their weekend. Beth held her books clutched tightly to her chest as she moved with the crowd towards her locker.

She spun the lock and opened the door, pulled out her backpack and was about to pack up what she'd need for homework, and then she felt the sudden surge of warm liquid.

She knew instinctively what was happening and almost said the words out loud, "No! No!" She moved quickly getting her books in the bag, grabbing her purse and sweatshirt, and slamming the metal door shut. She rushed as fast as she could to the closest bathroom, only to discover all the stalls were full and there was a line of other girls waiting to use them.

If she hadn't been too shy, if she'd simply told the girls what was going on and that she desperately needed to take care of the situation, they would have undoubtedly let her go ahead of them. But she didn't ask. Instead she stood there close to tears and waited. By the time it was her turn she was headachy, her stomach hurt and she was having to fight even harder to hold back her tears.

When she was finally alone in the stall and saw what a mess there was, she was mortified. This was her first time and although her Mama and Maggie had been very honest and open about what to expect, they hadn't prepared her for a disaster like the one she now faced.

She was sure her panties were ruined; the blood had soaked through them all the way to her denim pants. She was horrified as she whispered the words to herself, "No, no, no."

At first she just sat there confused and unsure what to do next. She could hear other girls enter and leave the restroom and still she sat. Eventually there was only one other girl still in the bathroom and as that last girl was washing her hands she asked, "Are you okay in there?"

Beth recognized the voice as belonging to Amy Harrison. She and Amy had been going to school together for years, and this was not the time to be shy. She needed help so she was honest, "Yes, Amy it's Beth and…well…there's a mess."

That's all she needed to say for Amy to know, "Okay. There's a machine and I have a little change, let me just dig in my purse. Do you want a tampon or a pad?"

Beth hadn't used either but she knew now couldn't possibly be a good time to try her first tampon, "Um, I think a pad. Thank you, Amy. I promise I can pay you back next week. Oh my gosh, but there's such a mess."

"Hang on." Amy looked around for something that could help and pulled several paper towels from the dispenser. As she wet them she noted, "These are kind of rough but they'll have to do. At least you can clean up a little." She handed the damp paper towels, followed by dry ones, under the stall door. Last she handed Beth the little packet containing the pad. "Are you going to be okay? Do you need anything else?"

Beth was as embarrassed as she was grateful, "No, I'll be fine. Thank you, Amy. You saved my life."

"No problem and don't worry about the money. If you're okay then I better go. My sister Andrea will be out there waiting for me by now," She giggled and said, "I bet she's cussing like crazy. She can't wait to get to the mall and meet up with her doofus high school friends. Anyway, I'll see you Monday, Beth. Have a good weekend!"

"You too Amy and thanks again!" And she heard the door open and close.

She felt so overwhelmed, she hardly knew where to start but she did her best to clean herself up, including her panties, as well as she was able to. In the meantime she kept trying to reassure herself everything was going to be okay. All she had to do was just make it home. She'd shower, put on her favorite pajamas and everything would be fine.

There was something else to be grateful for besides Amy coming to rescue. It had been chilly that morning and so she'd worn her hoodie, at least she could tie it around her waist and hopefully it would hide the stain on her pants. It would look stupid, but it was still better than having someone see the blood.

Why did this have to happen?

Once out of the stall she must have washed her hands three times, then gathered her things and hurried to meet her bus. Her misfortune continued. By the time she got to the lot all she could do was stand and watch as her bus turned the corner and disappeared from view. "No!"

Of all the rotten times to miss the bus.

There was a payphone out in front of the school but it did her no good, she was broke. She'd spent the little bit of money she had with her that day in the student bookstore. There was the cutest glittery pink pen she just couldn't resist, it would be perfect for writing in her journal. Oh how she wished now that she wouldn't have made the small purchase.

Maybe there was still someone in the office and they'd let her use the phone. But when she walked up the stairs and pulled on the big door she found it locked. Her shoulders slumped and she was once again fighting back tears as she slowly walked back down the concrete steps feeling completely defeated.

How could so many terrible things all be happening at once?

She stopped when she got to the bottom step and sat down. Her elbows were resting on her knees and her hands covered her face, and that's when the tears wouldn't be held back any longer. Once they started there didn't seem to be any stopping them.

She'd been crying for a couple of minutes when she heard a scratchy sounding male voice ask, "Ya alright girl?"

She looked in the direction of the voice and wanted to die on the spot. Of all the people who could have approached her, why was it him? Not that she knew him. She didn't know him at all but she'd seen him around. He was hard to miss. He was one of those tough-looking type of boys. He was what Daddy would call ill-kempt, and Beth had seen those mean stares the tough boy could give people.

She'd heard the stories that went around about him too, and she knew none of the other boys dared to start trouble with him. She'd also noticed that plenty of girls stared at him when they thought no one was looking. She understood why, he was very handsome in a manly, rough-hewn way.

That day she learned a big lesson about people, what you see and hear about someone may not have anything to do with who that person really is.

The first thing he did was reach in his back pocket, pull out a bandana and say, "Here girl."

As he handed it to her and she begin to dry her tears, she apologized, "I'm sorry, it's just been a really terrible day and now on top of everything else, I missed my bus."

He merely nodded and said, "Don't be sorry. I know all about terrible days. I had a few myself. So, is there someone you can call ta come get ya?"

She shook her head and told him, "I don't have any money for the payphone and the office is closed."

"Yeah, I ain't got any money right now either." He shrugged and stated the obvious, "I guess there's no choice but ta walk it."

"I know, you're right. It's just so far and all I wanted was to get home and…" She couldn't very well tell him the rest, "Well I guess I better quit crying and start walking."

She stood and he asked, "How far is it?"

"About six miles, I live on a farm."

"A farm? Really? That's kinda cool."

She was starting to see he wasn't at all the person everyone seemed to think he was. He was kind and she smiled, "It is nice, I just hope it doesn't get dark before I get there. There aren't any street lights out that way."

He shrugged and offered, "I'll walk with you. I'm good with walkin' in the dark and I ain't scared."

That sounded kind of good, at least she wouldn't be alone, "Um, are you sure? Aren't your Mom and Dad expecting you home?"

"Nah, it's just my Dad and he don't spend a lotta time worryin' about where I'm at. C'mon girl, we best get goin'. We're burnin' daylight."

She knew his name, everyone knew his name, but she realized he probably had never even noticed her and would have no idea of her name. She told him, "Beth. My name's Beth."

"Yeah I know, Beth Greene. I'm Daryl Dixon."

Her curiosity exceeded her shyness, "How do you know who I am?"

That was the first time she was on the receiving end of that piercing blue-eyed stare. She was surprised to find it didn't intimidate her at all. Quite the opposite, it filled her with warmth.

The side of his mouth turned up in the slightest of smiles as he shrugged and answered, "I been told I don't miss much."

He didn't offer, he simply reached over and begin to slide the backpack off her shoulder saying, "I got this."

She asked him, "Are you sure you want to carry that? It's kind of heavy."

He gave her that funny little smile again and said, "Yeah, I think I can handle it," and as he slipped a strap over his shoulder he asked, "Where is it exactly we're headin'?"

That made her smile. He was going to walk six miles with her without even knowing where he'd end up. "It's off rural route 222, just passed Sparrow Road about a half mile."

He stopped, looked to be in deep thought a moment, and said, "Yeah, I know a shortcut. It'll save us a half mile and it'll be much better walkin' than on the highway."

For some reason she trusted Daryl Dixon completely, "Alright then, I guess you're leading the way."

"Nah, I ain't leadin', I'm just walkin' with ya girl."

They veered off the main road and never did it occur to either one of them that when Beth didn't arrive home, her family might come looking for her.

Once the two quiet and shy individuals were alone out there in the open, away from people and places, they began to open up. Conversation came easy and felt so natural.

They crossed fields that were cultivated and ones that weren't, and when they walked on some slippery river rocks to cross a pretty little creek, Daryl held her hand.

They talked about the classes they liked and the ones they didn't, and what they liked to do for fun. She was honest, "I don't really have friends I guess, I mean not the kind that come over to my house or I go to theirs. Not the kind where you go to the movies on Saturday or go have a hamburger. So mostly I do my farm chores and I ride my horse, Nellie. I also like music and reading." She was sure she sounded really boring.

He nodded, gave her that hint of a smile, and said, "That sounds real nice Beth. I ain't got any friends either. I never been too sure I wanted one. I mostly like ta just get out and walk, explore, anythin' I can do ta get outta the house. I like ta hunt n fish and I got me a bow. Someday I'd like ta own a motorcycle. My brother had one and it was cool."

"I can see you, just as free as a bird Daryl."

It started getting dark about 45 minutes before they reached the farm road and she said, "Oh no, I was hoping this wouldn't happen. I don't like bein' out in the dark."

He seemed so confident when he reminded her, "I told ya not ta worry girl. We're just walkin' is all and I can see fine. K?"

She did trust him and she appreciated that this boy she didn't even know would walk her all the way home because she mentioned she was afraid.

They were just down the road from her house when he spotted it, "Looks like the sheriff's at your place. Ya got any idea why?"

"Oh no."

"Oh no what? What's wrong?"

"I bet my parents called him when I didn't come home."

"Ah shit."

It was the first time he'd cussed in front of her and she mistook it for anger, "I'm sorry. I'm sure they're just worried."

"Yeah, I'm sure they are too. Don't be sorry." He was chewing at the side of his thumb when he said, "Listen, I'ma walk ya to your driveway, you should be fine from there. Ya won't see me but I'll watch ta make sure ya get inside, okay?"

"Why? You should come in and have dinner."

"Nah, thanks. I can't girl. I need ta get the hell outta here." He gave her his almost a smile and said, "It's been real nice walkin' with ya though. You go on in and have your dinner, you're probably starvin'. I'll see ya around school."

She watched as he turned to go, then looked over his shoulder and said, "Have yourself a good weekend Beth Greene."

"Thank you Daryl, you have a good weekend too." By the time the last word was out of her mouth he was long out of sight.

She ran down the driveway, pushed the front door open and there they all stood, Daddy, Mama and the Sheriff. There was fear and relief in her Mama's voice when she said, "Beth!" And grabbed her daughter up in her arms, "Where were you? What happened? We were worried sick!"

Eventually they all quieted down and let her tell the story, although she didn't tell it all. She wasn't going into details with Daddy and the Sheriff there. When she said, "It was right after the bell rang when suddenly…I got so sick…" And the way she looked at Mama, Mama knew.

Daddy interrupted, "I thought you probably missed the bus so I drove up and down every road three times looking for you. I was panicking Bethie."

"I'm sorry Daddy, we took a shortcut."

"We? Who's we?"

"A boy I go to school with, he offered to walk with me."

"A boy? What boy?"

"His name is Daryl Dixon."

"Daryl _Dixon_ , how in the world do you know Daryl Dixon?"

"Daddy, we go to school together. He knew I was scared to be walking after dark and he said he'd walk with me. Why are you getting so mad?"

"Mad? Your Mother and I have been worried sick."

The sheriff interrupted then, "So Beth, you're fine? No problems other than missing the bus? No one hurt you?"

"Yes sheriff, I'm fine. No one hurt me, geez, Daryl just walked me home. Since when is that a crime?"

And then Daddy asked, "Did he touch you?"

Mama nearly shrieked when she said his name, "Hershel Greene!"

For the first time in her life Beth looked at and spoke to her Daddy with anger, "Yes he touched me. He held my hand when we crossed the creek so I wouldn't fall. Are you happy now?!" And she turned and ran up the stairs, Mama not far behind her girl.

The sheriff tipped his hat, said, "Evening Hershsel," and got the heck out of there.

Beth and her Mama sat side by side on her bed and it was then Beth told her the whole story. Her Mother put an arm across her shoulder, pulled her into her side and said, "I'm so sorry Beth, this is my fault. I should make sure you always have money to call if you need me, and from now on we'll be sure you keep a little something in your purse. They have cute carrying cases to put those sanitary products in."

She felt better now that her story was out, and responded, "It wasn't your fault Mama." Then she said what was in her heart and on her mind, "Daddy wasn't fair about Daryl. He was the only person around and he was so nice to me. My gosh Mama, he walked me six miles home. It made it so much more fun, and a lot less lonely and scary than if I had to walk alone."

"It was very kind of him. I'll have a talk with Daddy. You have your shower now, get in your p.j.s and come down for dinner. You must be starving."

"Yes Mama," but the words made her heart hurt for Daryl. He must be starving too. She'd heard his stomach growling a few times as they walked along.

It was later, after dinner that she overheard her parent's conversation. She was in her room writing in her journal, and she was especially honest with it. She wrote of how she was now almost happy about the incident. Amy had been so sweet and nice to her, and she'd made a friend in Daryl. At first she'd been nervous to even talk to him, but as it turned out he was so kind. She never would have suspected he'd be such a gentleman, or be so funny. He had such a dry sense of humor.

Then she overheard her Father's words and the aggravation in his voice when he said to her Mother, "I'm glad the boy was nice to Beth, but that doesn't mean he's the kind of young man I want our daughter associating with."

The more Daddy spoke the more agitated he sounded, "I know you've heard the stories about his father, Will Dixon. And you must remember when the boy's Mama died. Plenty of folks think she set that fire herself. Word was she couldn't take any more beatings from her husband or stand watching him beat those two boys. And you know about the older brother, Merle. He's been in trouble his whole life. It's no wonder he wound up in prison. It's just a fact Annette, Daryl Dixon doesn't come from good people."

Beth wanted to run down the stairs and tell her Daddy he was wrong, Daryl wasn't like that. That he was good and nice, but she didn't have to because she heard her Mother say to her Father, "Hershel Greene, have you forgotten where you come from? Have you forgotten about your own Father and the man he was? Do you want to be judged by his actions and the way he lived his life?"

"My goodness, you sit here every day, read your bible and call yourself a Christian. Do you honestly believe that judging a 14 year old boy based on the actions of his Father and his Brother is Christ like?"

* * *

She was excited to go to school Monday morning. Would she see him? Would he speak to her?

She stepped off the school bus and began walking toward the school building when a familiar voice called, "Beth, hey Beth."

She turned to see Amy getting out of her sister's car and the girl smiled and said, "Wait for me."

Beth dug in her purse to get the money she owed her, but Amy shook her head, "You can pay me back some other way."

Beth smiled and asked, "Like how?"

"Like maybe sometime you'll let me come to your farm. I'd love to see your horse and all the other animals."

Beth's heart warmed, could this be the start of a friendship? She answered, "Yes, I'd like that too. Maybe you could come Saturday."

And her new friend Amy smiled back, "That sounds so fun. Let's talk about it tonight. Your number's in the book, right? I'll call."

"Yes, okay, I'll talk to you then."

They'd no sooner agreed, and Amy had turned to go when Beth felt a hand skim along the back of hers, and heard that unmistakable voice ask, "How ya doin' girl?"

Amy saw it and heard it too, a lot of kids did.

00


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the wonderful response. This chapter we'll get Daryl's POV of their walk and learn quite a bit about him, before picking up where we left them Monday morning at school. I hope you enjoy! xo

00

Friday afternoon he had to stay after school and talk to the boy's vice principal. Something about too many absences. The Boy's VP wasn't nearly as angry with Daryl as Daryl was with himself. He should know better.

If he wanted to continue flying under the radar he had to take this stuff a lot more seriously. He had to get to school on time and stay there all day. He had to act like he gave a shit about his classes, and he had to pass them.

He promised himself he'd do it.

He'd been pretty good about keeping up appearances so no one would get suspicious, it had been going good so far. He didn't need trouble now. He'd already had way more than his share of that in his short life. What he needed to do was think things through. He had to do things the way regular people do things. The right way. Not the Dixon way.

Besides, there was a big bonus attached to going to school, it meant two free meals a day. Breakfast and lunch.

Even as hungry as he always seemed to be and how often he'd gone without, at first he'd been reluctant to even ask for the meal program form. It bothered him to think he was some kind of charity case. Then one day he heard a voice in his head, it was Merle's voice telling him, "Don't be a dumbass Little Brother. If the system's willin' ta feed your ass, you take what you can get from em."

He filled out the paper, signed the old man's name on it and turned it into the office.

Anyway, he made up his mind he was going to do a lot better about this school thing. He took the paper Mr. Monroe gave him and promised to have his Dad sign it and he'd return it first thing Monday morning. He and the VP walked out the school's side door, the VP locked it behind them and Daryl was free for the weekend.

Mr. Monroe nodded his head and started walking toward his car, and Daryl went around the building in the opposite direction. He had no desire to be around authority figures any more than he had to be.

He didn't see another soul on the school grounds, everyone else was long gone that Friday afternoon. Until he got to the front of the building.

That's when he saw her.

Even though her face was buried in her hands it didn't matter. He didn't need to see her face; he'd have known that girl anywhere. He didn't even bother trying to deny it to himself anymore, he'd been having some kind of feelings for her since the very first time he'd seen her, the first day of school.

He found it impossible to explain the feelings he had even to himself. It was as if he felt a powerful longing and the only thing that would ever be able to ease it was her. He didn't particularly care to talk to people, but he wished maybe they could talk to each other. Or…maybe he could hold her…or...well, he just didn't know. He'd never felt those kinds of things for anyone else and it left him confused and a little unsettled.

That girl though, she had a way about her.

It was the way she moved and the way she smiled, and he liked the way she always seemed to be pushing her blonde hair back and off her face.

She wasn't all made up and done up and trying too hard to be sexy. She was pretty in the sweetest kind of way, and man, she had those warm blue eyes and those curls looked so soft. It was hard to imagine hair that could be any prettier than hers.

All those things were just what made her, her. And everything about her got his heart pumping harder.

She seemed to mostly keep to herself, he understood that. He kept to himself too. For him keeping to himself was the way it had to be. It was the only way that made sense if he wanted to keep living like he was. In her case she seemed kind of shy, but he also felt that in one certain way she was like him, she was a little different and didn't quite fit in.

He managed to find out her name, Beth Greene, and that she was in 7th grade. A year behind him. That about covered his knowledge of the life and times of Beth Greene.

He'd never spoken to her. He wasn't one of those kind of guys who feel comfortable walking up to a girl and striking up a conversation. He didn't know shit about casual conversations and he damn sure didn't have any of what Merle called "pick up lines."

This day though, things were different. She was sitting all alone on the stairs and crying. Right away he felt angry and concerned. Did someone hurt her? Was she sick? Whatever might be going on didn't really matter, there was no way in hell he could just leave her sitting there crying.

He did his best to forget his nerves and he went up to her. They talked a minute and it turned out she'd missed her bus. The only way she was going to get back home was to walk. She was a little scared about walking alone. He wasn't scared of anything except watching her leave without him.

He did what he had to do, what he wanted to do. He offered to walk with her.

He liked it right away, them walking together that way. She was easy to be around and easy to talk to. He liked just shooting the breeze with her, and he liked it even better when she spoke. Her voice sounded just as sweet and pretty as the rest of her looked.

It felt nice and he wasn't even aware he was talking so much, at least not at first. It was because of her. That way she had about her. It was even more appealing now that he was getting to know her a little.

To his way of thinking one of the best things that happened was when they crossed the little creek. He didn't plan it, it just seemed to come naturally the way he took her hand to make sure she didn't fall. He was glad he did. Her skin was so soft and her hand felt so small and delicate in his. He never wanted to let go of that small hand. But he supposed once they were safely across he had to.

He had every intention of walking her right up to her door like he was some kind of gentleman or something. That was until he saw the sheriff's car. Shit. He just couldn't risk it. What if the sheriff started asking him a bunch of questions? All the wrong kinds of questions. Nah, as much as he wanted to walk her all the way to her door, he couldn't take the chance.

He made it back to town, made it back to the trailer park, and once inside the decrepit old single-wide the first thing he did was open two small cans of Dinty Moore Beef Stew. He didn't even bother to heat it up; he was too damn hungry. In no time at all he'd woofed down both cans of cold stew and a half a loaf of bread and butter. He was still a little hungry but that was the last of the food.

He took a shower, gathered up his basket of dirty clothes, a small jar of change and the detergent and walked to the trailer park laundry room. He had to get all of his chores finished up that night. The next day he was starting a new job.

He was supposed to arrive no later than 9:00am for his training. The training was scheduled to last until one that afternoon. He didn't mind. They were paying him for his time and they said there was going to be lunch.

The work wasn't exactly the kind he'd ever planned to do, but it didn't seem too bad and the hours were right so he could still make school. He just had to get used to talking to people a little more. Thank God that didn't mean making conversation, it was more like question and answer stuff and being helpful. He'd make himself do it.

Whatever it was they wanted him to do he was going to do it; he was damn grateful to have the job.

He'd be working at a real classy restaurant, The Rancher's Cut Steakhouse. It was the hottest dining spot in the county. His shift would begin at 4:00pm and most nights he'd be done between 10 and 11. The lady that hired him was honest, she warned him that he might work as late as midnight on a Friday or Saturday. He told her he didn't mind.

His official title was Back Waiter. He'd be filling water glasses, replenishing the bread, cleaning up spills and other mishaps, bringing people the extra napkins and silver they asked for, but he'd also be the Runner. He'd bring the hot part of the meal, the main course, to the table. The only thing he couldn't bring them was alcohol.

He even had to kind of dress up. Thank God they furnished the black pants, white dress shirt, tie and red apron. They had a dress code and everyone would look pretty much the same, except the Front Waiter also wore a vest. He didn't mind wearing the uniform if it was part of the job. He needed work and this was by far the best job he'd come upon.

All he'd had to buy for himself were black shoes. They told him they could be athletic shoes as long as they were solid black and looked nice. Professional. He'd bought the cheapest pair of shoes he could find with a plan to get himself better ones after he had a couple paychecks under his belt.

The job paid really well compared to the going rate, a dollar an hour over minimum wage. That wasn't all, the lady who hired him said the Front Waiter would give him a nice cut of the tips. The other good news was, he got a meal on his shift and the lady told him sometimes he might even get to take home leftover side dishes, salad, potatoes, bread and the like.

The only other thing he had to do was, he had to tell a lie.

He had to say he was 17, not 14. Since he didn't have ID he also had to bring a letter from his Dad saying how old he was. No problem. He'd been writing notes and signing papers as "Will Dixon" for years.

Weekdays he'd have to rush to the job straight from school, but his days off were Mondays and Tuesdays so he'd have a little time for schoolwork, laundry and such.

He knew it wasn't going to be easy working full-time and going to school full time. That didn't matter, he didn't have much choice. There was park rent to pay, propane and electric bills and he needed to eat. Work meant survival for young Daryl Dixon.

He just had to make it four more years. Once he was 18 he'd be set. He could move along, maybe join the army or something.

There was one problem though. He was never going to have any time to get to know Beth Greene. School was about the only chance he'd ever have to see her.

Saturday morning he was up early and out the door before seven. He got the old bicycle and some canvas shopping bags out of the storage shed and he was ready for the grocery store. The bags made it a lot easier to get his weekly groceries home. He could hang them from his handlebars.

He bought what he needed. He was running low on money and he wouldn't get paid on his new job for a week. His first check would go for the park rent and there wouldn't be much left over. He was glad for all the meals he'd be getting at school and work. If not for that he wouldn't be eating at all.

He wasn't going to be buying much. He only needed something to eat that morning, Sunday breakfast and lunch, and Monday and Tuesday dinner.

With that in mind he bought two boxes of cereal, a gallon of milk, two loaves of white bread, a big package of bologna and one of American cheese, a large can of chili and one of ravioli. He also bought a family-sized bag of potato chips, a double chocolate cake from the bakery and half gallon of vanilla ice cream. Because despite all of his adult responsibilities, Daryl Dixon was still a 14 year old boy.

00

He asked, "So Beth Greene, where's your homeroom?"

She smiled, "Room 8B."

He gave her that smile she was already so found of and teased, "I guess I'll walk with you, ya know, so ya don't get scared."

She kept smiling as she elbowed him in the ribs, "You're not as funny as you think you are Daryl Dixon."

He teased back, "Yes I am," as he slipped the backpack off her shoulder. This time she didn't question him, she let Daryl Dixon be a gentleman.

They stopped at her locker first and she smiled, "I was hoping I'd see you today. I brought you something."

He seemed genuinely surprised, "You're kiddin'. Like what?"

"Me and Mama made a whole bunch of chocolate chip cookies this weekend and I thought you might like some."

She saw his awkwardness and thought maybe he wasn't used to receiving gifts, even small ones. "Heck yeah I'd like some, thanks Beth that's real nice of ya."

She reached in her backpack, took out the plastic container and handed it to him.

Daryl Dixon had his way and he showed her again just who he was when he said, "Wait now, lemme give ya some a these back. It ain't fair for me ta have em all."

She giggled softly, smiling that sweet smile and admitted, "It's okay. I ate twice that many cookies yesterday. I made myself sick. And guess what else? I have more in my lunch bag for later."

He smiled that little smile back at her, and said, "Good. I don't want ya goin' hungry," then he mustered up enough courage to ask, "So, ya wanna meet in the quad at lunchtime?"

She couldn't believe it, Daryl wanted to have lunch with her! She tried to hide the level of excitement she was feeling as the heat rose from her neck to the top of her head. She barely managed to get the answer out, "Sure, yes."

"Okay, well I gotta eat lunch in the cafeteria but that don't take me long. I'll be out there ta see ya right after." He smiled as the tips of his fingers lightly touched the back of her hand and asked, "Wait for me, k girl?"

He didn't have to ask her, she would wait for him all day and all night if that's how long it took. There was just something about that boy that warmed her heart. She smiled and said, "Yes, of course I'll wait for you Daryl."

The warning bell rang just as they got to her homeroom and he told her, "I gotta go girl, I can't be late," and he was gone.

She felt like every eye was on her as she walked in the classroom and straight to her desk. She told herself it had to be her imagination, why in the world would they all be looking at her?

During the day she saw him a couple of times in the hallway but there was no time to talk. They both had classes to get to. He would smile that tiny smile and nod his head and she would smile her biggest and brightest smile back at him.

When lunchtime came around she went to the quad and sat on a concrete bench near the big oak tree. She wasn't there a minute when Amy came rushing over and sat next to her. Her friend seemed excited and half-giddy when she asked, "My gosh Beth, just what is going on with you and Daryl Dixon? You two are the talk of the school!"

"Nothing's going on Amy, we're just friends."

Amy nearly laughed out loud, "You and Daryl are friends? How in the world would that have happened? I want to know the whole story."

Beth supposed that's what being friends is all about, talking and laughing and sharing stories and so she said, "I'll tell you Amy, but can you please keep it a secret? You know, just between us?"

"I promise I will Beth."

So as the two girls ate their lunch Beth told Amy the story. Not everything, she and Daryl had shared a secret or two. She only told her friend how she missed the bus and that she was so upset she started to cry, and how Daryl Dixon came along and offered to walk her home.

Amy's eyes got huge, "Are you kidding?! He walked you all the way out to the farm? Geez Beth, he must really have some serious feelings for you."

"I don't know about that Amy. I think he's just a very nice boy."

Amy smiled, "Yeah, sure. You think what you want Beth, but I think that boy has a big fat crush on you. I saw the way he was looking at you this morning. If a boy ever looked at me that way I'd melt for sure."

Those words had no sooner passed Amy's lips than Daryl Dixon showed up and said, "Hey."

Beth smiled, and remembering her manners answered, "Hey Daryl, do you know Amy Harrison?"

"I don't think so, hey Amy nice ta meet ya."

"Hi Daryl, nice to meet you too." Then Amy made her excuse, "Well I'd better go. I need to study for a history test. I'll see you two later, and Beth, I'll call you tonight."

"Okay, bye Amy and good luck on the test!" Knowing full well Amy had no test that day.

When Daryl Dixon sat down next to her the tips of his fingers grazed along her hand and he smiled, "Them cookies was the best thing I ever tasted." Then he wrinkled his forehead and said, "Wait now, lemme say that again. They told me on my job I have ta try not ta talk like I'm a bumpkin." He actually chuckled at that and said, "What I meant is, those cookies were the most delicious I've ever eaten."

He smiled again and teased, "I guess I'm gonna have to read my English book cover to cover."

"A job? You already have a job? Tell me all about it."

"Well I was working before, doing janitor work at a factory, you know, sweeping up at night, vacuuming the office and cleanin' the bathrooms. It wasn't bad work but it was only three hours a night and minimum wage. This weekend I started a new job, I think it's gonna work out much better."

He told her where he was working, what his job involved and all of his duties, then said, "I get paid more an hour and what surprised me most was, I never expected my cut of the tips to be so much, plus I'm gettin' a free shift meal."

"That sounds great but gosh Daryl, you sure don't have much time off between work and school. How are you going to be able to do that?" she was genuinely concerned for him, but also disappointed for herself. School was the only place she would ever see him.

"It's gonna be a little tough but I'll make it work. There's no choice, I have to. I have rent and bills and all that." Oh shit, he messed up.

"Your Dad makes you pay rent?" She realized after she asked she should not be inquiring about something so personal.

She was about to tell him, "Never mind," but before she could say it, he answered. He did his best to cover himself, "He don't make enough to pay all the bills. I hafta pay my share."

She felt awful and said, "I'm sorry Daryl, I shouldn't have even asked. It's none of my business."

He didn't want her feeling bad, it wasn't her fault he was in the situation he was in. He took her hand and held it, telling her, "Hey girl, don't be sorry. It ain't your fault and I don't mind workin', I like it. And this new job I got, I think it's gonna turn out pretty good."

They promptly changed the topic of their conversation, but Daryl never let go of her hand. He held it until the bell rang and they had to go their separate ways. When they stood he smiled and said, "If I don't see ya before you go home, you have a nice evening Beth Greene."

"You too Daryl Dixon."

And all of the other kids, and a teacher or two, had seen that boy holding that girl's hand.

She saw him briefly just before she got on the bus. He was across the lot and he lifted a hand to her and nodded his head. She smiled at him and waved back.

It was the strangest thing when she got on the bus, so many of the other students on board actually acknowledged her existence. They said, "Hi Beth," or just smiled her way. Some even scooted over like she was welcome to sit next to them.

That had never happened before and now she was beginning to understand why all eyes had suddenly turned to her that Monday.

She'd gone from being the quiet, different and never noticed girl, to being the girl that was friends with Daryl Dixon. She was the only person, boy or girl who Daryl had ever spent any time with. The whole student body seemed intrigued by whatever was going on between her and him.

Now that she knew him a little bit she realized just how funny that was. Daryl Dixon would be shocked to know he was the subject of so much interest, rumor and speculation.

For herself, she could only think of one person who'd noticed her or tried to be friendly with her before everyone saw her and Daryl together. That person was Amy. That was a little fact Beth would never forget.

Beth was happy though, ridiculously happy. She now had two people in her life she had feelings for, both were her friends and she was anxious for those friendships to deepen.

One of them though, he had her wondering and even daring to hope, that someday they might become more than just friends.

Amy did call that evening and they talked for 45 minutes, they would have continued talking if Daddy hadn't put a stop to it, "Enough is enough now, you have other things to do besides being yakking on the phone all evening."

Over the next few weeks the two girls would be on the phone often. They'd talk about everything, including the boys they liked. Beth shared so much of herself with Amy, and Amy so much of herself with Beth.

They spent their Saturdays together too, with Amy visiting the farm or Beth visiting Amy's house in town.

Although Amy's Mother and Annette Greene had very little in common, one thing they were in total agreement on were strict rules the girls had to follow. Because of this neither Mother worried about their daughter spending time in the other girl's home.

As for her school days, every free moment Beth had was spent with Daryl Dixon, before school, lunch time and in between. There was even a Monday afternoon she and Daryl had been talking and they were so distracted by each other, Beth missed the bus.

Thank goodness Mama made sure Beth always had money to call home. When Daddy came to get her she didn't exactly lie, she just didn't tell the whole truth when she apologized, "I'm sorry Daddy, it's all my fault. I was talking to a friend and I lost track of the time."

She felt pretty darn guilty when Daddy didn't get mad.

But Beth made a mistake so many young people make, she didn't think her Mother had any idea how much interest she had in Daryl Dixon. But Mama knew her little girl and she was well aware something was going on. She thought it would be a real good idea if she and Daddy got to know this Dixon boy themselves.

At Sunday dinner Mama said, "When you see Daryl at school tomorrow why don't you ask him to ride the bus home with you Tuesday. He can have dinner with us and Daddy will give him a ride home."

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you'll leave me a comment. I'll be back next Friday with a new chapter of I'll Walk With You and I hope you'll be here too! In the meantime, Thank You, stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much! This is a big chapter as we see how Daryl and Beth's relationship progressed back in it's youthful, early days. They continue growing closer and there's a "first" for them. Daryl's going to spend some time at the farm, and he and Hershel will come to an understanding. Let's see how it all goes.

00

It's the worst bus ride in the history of bus rides, and she's aware she's doing this to herself. If she chews her lip any harder it's going to bleed, and her tummy is such a nervous wreck she's liable to throw up her toast and oatmeal.

She tries to calm down by reminding herself, "Geez Beth, it's not like you did something wrong. You're just asking him to dinner. Isn't that supposed to be a nice thing?"

She wonders if there's even the slightest chance he'll say yes. She wishes he would but she's managed to convince herself he'll say no. They've been close and getting closer for weeks, but she thinks he'll be uncomfortable with the idea of spending a lot of time with her parents. Even though he has to be somewhat social at work, and he's always talkative with her, the fact remains, Daryl's just not the social type.

Besides, dinner with her parents? What boy wants to do that?

She sees him the moment she steps off the bus. How can she help but smile when she knows he's been waiting for her? Just that quickly her spirits lift and she feels better about everything. As they start walking toward one another she notices something, or a lack of something, not everyone is watching them. They still get plenty of looks, and she knows there's a lot of talk, but it's not nearly as bad as it was a few weeks ago.

Now that she and Daryl have been seen together for a few weeks they're no longer the big gossip around school. Thank goodness.

His hand softly cups her elbow as he guides her closer to him when he asks, "Hey girl, did ya have a nice weekend?"

As they walk toward the school entrance she answers, "I did. Saturday afternoon Amy and I went to the movies and then out for hamburgers. It was so much fun." She softly bumps her shoulder into him and adds, "It would have been even more fun if a certain boy I know was there."

She's startled when he replies, "I mighta been able ta meet ya, I don't have to be at work til four and I mighta had time. I guess if I had a phone you coulda called me." He chews his upper lip and appears to be considering something, then he says it, "I got some extra money these days, what with the tips I'm makin'. Maybe I'll get a telephone and next time you can call me. If you want to."

She's all excitement and a big pretty smile when she says, "Are you kidding? Of course I want to. It would be so much fun."

He smiles down at her, "Yeah, I'd like that. But I ain't giving no one else my phone number. Just you Beth, I got no desire ta talk to anyone else."

It always warms her heart when he says those kinds of things, and now it gives her the courage to ask, "Um, Daryl, my folks want you to come for dinner tomorrow night. Mama said if you'll ride out to the farm on the bus with me, Daddy can give you a ride home later."

He's a little stunned for a couple of reasons. He's never been invited to someone's home for dinner, this is a first. But the fact that it's her Mama and Daddy who are asking is even more of a surprise. He can't imagine what's going on. His naturally cautious and suspicious mind tells him this spells trouble, he asks her, "Why do they want me there?"

Now she's the one who's confused, "Why? Well gosh Daryl, they know me and you are friends and that we spend time together. I guess they want to get to know you too. It's just like when we have Amy over."

He may not have any experience with girls or their folks, but now he's pretty sure he's caught on to what this is really about. It damn sure isn't the same thing as her Mama inviting Amy over. He's the _boy_ hanging out with their daughter. Her Mama and Daddy want to find out if they ought to let him keep hanging around, or make sure he never goes near her again.

He doesn't blame them; he'd do the same. Beth's their girl, it's fair. But he has to make sure of one thing, "Who all's gonna be at this dinner?"

"Just you and me, Mama and Daddy. I told you my sister's at college and my brother is in the Air Force."

Okay, that's good to hear. He just needed to make sure the sheriff didn't make a habit of hanging around the farm.

That doesn't mean he's not torn. He's not too excited about the idea of hanging around with her folks. Her old man will probably give him the third degree and he's going to have to be on his toes. He can't risk slipping up. Yet he's pretty sure it will be worse if he doesn't accept their invitation, they're liable to think he's hiding something.

And there's his desire to spend all the time with Beth he can. He shrugs and says, "Yeah, um, sure that's real nice. Um tell your Mom I said thanks and I'll see y'all for dinner tomorrow."

By that time they're standing in front of her locker and she nearly has to lean back against it for support. Daryl's coming to her house for dinner. She's a little stunned and plenty excited. Holy cow. "Really Daryl? I was sure you'd say no. Oh my gosh, I'm so glad you're going to come. I'll let Mama know, and Daryl, we get to ride home on the bus together."

He wasn't feeling nearly as upbeat about it as her, but he pretended to be, "I can't wait girl." As he said the words the warning bell rang, and what happened next came out of the blue. He leaned in and gave her a soft little kiss on the lips, smiled and said, "See ya at lunch Beth." And before she could catch her breath he was hurrying off to class.

She stood motionless. Daryl had kissed her, on the lips. Her first kiss, their first kiss. She lightly touched her lips with the tips of her fingers and she knew then, this was the beginning of so much more for her and Daryl.

Plenty of kids saw the sweet little kiss the young couple shared, but unlike Beth none of them was surprised. They all figured that kind of stuff had been going on between Daryl Dixon and Beth Greene for a while now.

Daryl couldn't keep from smiling, and he felt the rapid beating of his heart as it pounded in his chest. He'd finally done it. He kissed her, he kissed Beth. He'd wanted to kiss her for so long, heck, since the first time he ever saw her. He just hadn't worked up the guts. Then boom, without even thinking about it he'd done it.

He was absentmindedly nodding his head as he thought to himself, now that he'd done it once there was no reason not to keep doing it. Him and Beth, they were official.

* * *

By the time lunch rolled around Beth was about to burst with all the news she had to share with Amy. There was the news that Daryl might get a phone and that sometime he might meet them in town for a movie or a burger, maybe even both. There was the news that he was coming to the farm to have dinner with her family. But all of that paled in comparison to the most colossal news of all, their first kiss.

Amy was almost as wound-up as Beth; they were both practically bouncing on the bench. And after Beth's news, Amy had her own news to share.

She'd had a serious crush on the new boy ever since he'd started school there. He must have noticed her too, "It's not as exciting as your first kiss, but it's so cool Beth. Caesar Martinez asked me out!"

"What?! He asked you out?! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, what did he say? And what did you say?"

"He said he'd like to meet me at the movies Saturday and that it was all his treat."

"Oh wow. What did you tell him?"

"I had to tell him I'm not allowed to date yet."

"And…"

"And he said kind of the same thing that Daryl said, that we could meet there, he'd save me a seat next to him inside the theater. I wasn't sure what to say about that. What do you think Beth?"

No sooner did Amy ask her question than Daryl was there with them. He and Amy said "Hi" and then the girl stood and said, "I'll see you guys later. I want to get a coke before the bell rings."

That's when Daryl told her, "Ya know ya don't have ta run off every time I come around Amy. You're Beth's friend, that makes you my friend too."

Amy smiled and said, "I am your friend Daryl, that's why I'm going to let you have some time with Beth. I'll see you both later."

The young couple sat on the bench with his hand resting on hers while they talked about their classes, his plans for after school and her plans for the evening. Then he asked his big question, "Will ya meet me behind the gym before ya go to the bus lot? I'll make sure ya don't miss it."

She'd meet him anywhere anytime, but she's concerned, "Well sure I'll meet you Daryl, but what's going on? Is everything alright?"

He had that cute smile and he looked a little shy when he answered, "Yeah, sure, everything's great. I just want a chance ta kiss you when no one's looking."

Her face turned ten shades of red and the only response she could make was, "Oh."

The bell rang and they stood and he asked again, "Will ya Beth?"

She looked so shy but she nodded, "Yes," and that was all it took for him to lean in and kiss her cheek, just as Mr. Monroe walked by and said, "Mister Dixon you know the rules."

"Yessir, sorry."

It was so much different behind the gym. Her back was pressed against the building and he slipped his arms around her waist. His body was softly leaning into hers and when Daryl kissed her she felt her eyes drift closed. A warm sensation slowly drifted through her as his tongue touched her lips.

Then they heard Shane Walsh's voice teasing, "Better unlock them lips you two, Beth's gonna miss the bus again."

As he quickly drew back she saw Daryl's cheeks were every bit as flushed as hers felt. Even in her innocence she understood why. Some of it was caused by embarrassment, but most of it was caused by the heat of the kiss they'd just shared.

He took her hand and ran with her to the bus lot arriving just as the door was closing. Daryl called out, "Please."

As the door opened the driver shook his head and admonished, "Beth, I can't be waiting on you every day."

"Sorry Mr. Horvath."

Tuesday afternoon when the final bell of the day rang, Mr. Horvath didn't have to wait. Daryl and Beth were the first ones on the bus. She slid over near the window and he slid in next to her. He got so close that when the driver looked in his rearview mirror he called back, "You better move over a little son, Beth needs room to breathe."

They didn't talk much; they didn't feel the need. Just sitting so close with their hands held between them felt like enough.

The bus put them out at the end of her road, along with a couple of other kids. Daryl kept her backpack over his shoulder and held her hand as they walked to the farm, but when they got to her driveway he let go. They'd agreed, her folks didn't need to see that stuff. He nervously asked, "Where's your Dad?" He wasn't looking forward to all the questions he knew were coming, on the other hand he kind of wanted to just bite the bullet and get whatever was coming done, over with.

She smiled, "Oh I think this time of day he's probably in the barn." Then she beamed that bright smile, looked at him with those big blue eyes and said, "And after we go in and say Hi to Mama, you get to help me with my afternoon chore, taking care of the chickens."

He chuckled and said, "Girl, the only help I'd be with a chicken is if ya wanted someone ta eat it."

"Don't you worry Daryl you'll be eating some chicken, but I'm also going to teach you how to take care of them."

They walked in the kitchen and there was her Mama rolling out dough, it had his mind going right to biscuits. As nervous as he was, food was never far from his mind.

* * *

He was eating better than he'd ever eaten in his life, but he was hungry all the time. He was growing. He was getting taller and his shoulders and chest were becoming broader. They had to give him a new uniform at work when his pants became way too short and it looked like his shoulders might pop through his shirt.

He had to do a little shopping of his own too. He got himself two new pair of school pants along with a couple of shirts and a new pair of shoes. Thank God he was making such good money on the job. This was the first time in his life he didn't have to wear ill-fitting and ragged clothes, or worry that he might go hungry.

Things had changed a lot. He wasn't rich, not even close, but he had enough money. In fact, he had quite a bit extra. Weekend tips were especially good. He didn't feel comfortable carrying a lot of cash on him, and he damn sure wasn't going to leave it hidden in the trailer. A guy never knew when some lowlife creep might show up there looking for Merle or the old man, and the money they owed him.

The bank seemed like the only possible option.

Last Monday he went right from school to the First Union and a real nice lady there helped him. She told him all about how a savings account works and she helped him open one. She promised him no one but him could get to his money. He felt much better knowing it was tucked away somewhere safe, and every week when he got paid he deposited all the cash he didn't have to spend into his bank account. Maybe he could get a car or a motorcycle someday.

* * *

When her Mama smiled it was clear to him where Beth got her own pretty smile. Annette Greene seemed nice and she was real friendly when she said, "We're very happy to have you here Daryl. I hope you like chicken and dumplings because I'm making a huge pot for dinner."

"Yes Ma'am I do, and thank you for inviting me here. Everything looks and smells real good." And the words were no sooner out of his mouth than his stomach rumbled.

Mama told her daughter, "Beth why don't you get Daryl a snack." Then Annette Greene looked at him and said, "I know teenage boys are hungry all the time. My son was the same. Shawn, never stopped eating when he was a teenager. There's no reason to be shy around here Daryl, you have your fill."

He already felt more at ease, her Mama really was nice. Now he just needed to face her Daddy. That was by far the scarier proposition.

He had a tall glass of milk and three slices of banana bread, and Beth spread the butter nice and thick. Her Mama never stopped working but while he ate she told him about the farm and how long it had been in the family. He was surprised and kind of fascinated that people would stay in one place so long. His own Dad had moved him around a million times in his life.

Dixons were always either on the run from the law or the bill collector.

When his bread was gone, and it didn't take much time at all, Beth handed him an apple, took one for herself and they headed to the chicken coop. He asked, "Is that the only snack you're havin' girl?"

"I really wanted some banana bread, but if I eat now I won't eat my dinner." She smiled and told him, "I'd rather eat Mama's chicken n dumplings than snacks."

He got it then, look at the size of her, there was no way she could eat like him.

"I don't blame you for that, I'd feel the same way. Your Mama's right about me though, it don't seem like I ever get quite full."

The chicken yard and coops were surrounded by a 10 foot tall wood and wire fence, and as she opened the door to the enclosure she explained to him, "We have to keep the chicken yard fenced so other animals can't get to the flock. Fox, coyotes, raccoons and skunks will all go after the chickens. In one night they could kill them all."

"C'mon, I'll show you where the scratch is. We can toss it to them and you'll see how excited they get." She lifted the lid of the scratch bin and used the wooden scoop to fill a pouch, "Okay Daryl, I'll show you and then you can walk through the flock and make friends." The way she giggled made it sound like a good time.

And it was kind of fun when the birds started pecking the ground and making noise as he slowly walked among them, scattering the mixture of seeds and grains around the yard. After that he and Beth filled the small water trough, and the bucket of kitchen scraps her Mama had given her went in a different wood trough. Then she handed him a basket and said, "Let's gather eggs."

He got a kick out of the whole experience, even the part where they went to an outdoor sink and washed the poop, dirt, straw and feathers off the eggs. Whatever they had to do was good with him, it was all about spending time with Beth, somewhere besides school. He even managed to steal a quick kiss when they were done rinsing off eggs.

Best of all he got to see her in her element, he got to see a little piece of her daily life. He'd be able to imagine her doing these things when they were apart. Something else too, after they'd washed up and they took the big basket of eggs into her Mama, Annette Greene said, "Daryl, I'm going to put a dozen of these in a container for you to take home for you and your Dad."

"Thank you Ma'am, we'll enjoy them and I appreciate it a lot." Daryl had tried it plenty of times, but he just couldn't seem to fry an egg without breaking the yolk. That was okay though, he liked scrambled eggs just fine.

Her Dad washed up in the mud room, walked in the kitchen and introduced himself. Daryl was a little taken aback. The man seemed way too old to have a daughter Beth's age, and he must be twenty years older than Beth's Mama. But he supposed folks wound up with who they were supposed to wind up with, shit, who would have thought to put him and Beth together?

The man extended his hand to Daryl and said, "Young man, good to see you. I'm Beth's Daddy, Hershel Greene."

Daryl nodded as they shook hands and said, "Thanks for havin' me Sir."

While her Daddy and Daryl chatted, Beth set the table and she and her Mama got the food on. She could hear Daryl and her Daddy talking and was relieved the conversation all seemed to be centered around the farm. She'd been dreading her Daddy giving poor Daryl the third degree.

What surprised her was how many questions Daryl had about the farm and the work they did, and she was stunned when her Daddy offered, "You know Son, if you're this interested you ought to come over some time and I'll show you more of what we do."

"Yeah, I'd like that a lot. Thank you Sir."

Daddy took it a step further then, "You have a school vacation coming up for Christmas, right?"

"Yessir, we do in just about a week n a half."

"Well that would be perfect then. Some day when you don't have work to get to, you come out here and I'll show you the ropes."

"Yessir, I'll look forward to that."

They sat for dinner and Daryl wasn't surprised when they bowed their heads to pray. Beth told him he should expect it. He didn't mind, it seemed good.

He was pleasantly surprised by how well the whole thing seemed to be going, and he was really grateful he'd gotten the job at Rancher's Cut. The work he did taught him about conversation, and he'd learned all about table manners. It gave him some confidence knowing he wasn't going to embarrass himself.

During dinner the questions begin with more or less what he expected. There was a lot of talk about school and about his classes and what he liked, and then it got a little deeper. Her Daddy started asking questions about Daryl's family.

Daryl was pretty sure the old boy probably knew about his Dad, probably Merle too. Hell, most everyone in the county knew about what had happened to his Mama and the kind of trouble his brother and Dad got into. That stuff all ended up in the paper.

So, when her Daddy asked, "What about your family Daryl? Who is there besides you?" He knew he had to be careful with his answers. He had to tell the truth, but not the whole truth. He was positive Hershel Greene didn't know what his Dad was up to nowadays, and he wanted to make sure he never found out.

He began with the truth, "Well Sir, my Mama, she's passed on. Back when I was eight. It was a house fire." Beth's Mama said how sorry she was and her Daddy nodded in agreement, and Daryl thanked them and went on.

"My brother has got himself in a world of trouble. Merle, that's his name, Merle just can't seem to stay out of trouble. Right now he's doing time at the state pen down in Valdosta. He's supposed ta get out in another four years or so, dependin' on how well he behaves."

Once again, her folks expressed their sympathy. At the same time both Mama and Daddy were impressed by the young man's honesty. It had been a little test on Daddy's part, would the boy be truthful?

Daryl finished by telling them what he could only hope they'd believe, "My Dad, well he's had a little trouble finding steady work, just mostly day labor here and there. It's why I'm workin', so I can help out with the rent and bills and such. It's been going alright."

Daddy figured the young man had to be the one paying for most everything. Everyone knew Will Dixon was afraid of an honest day's work. He was starting to feel a lot of admiration for the boy who at first he judged so harshly. Daryl was obviously different than the rest of the Dixon family, he had a strong sense of responsibility. What 14 year old kid supports a household?

There was no one in the county with a bigger or a softer heart than Annette Greene, and the young man's story had gotten to that tender heart. He seemed like such a good boy and it didn't sit right that he should have so much weight on his shoulders.

Mama shocked herself, her husband, her daughter and her dinner guest when she said, "Daryl, if you don't have plans for Christmas, if your Dad will be working, we'd love to have you spend the holiday with us."

The offer caught him completely off guard. He thought he'd prepared himself to answer anything, but he never expected such an invitation. There he sat with a forkful of chicken ready to shove in his mouth, he had to think fast and he couldn't think of a good reason to say no, "Um, well no Ma'am, we ain't ever really celebrated Christmas. I hafta work Christmas Eve, but I'm off Christmas Day so yes, I could be here, and thank you Ma'am."

Mama didn't miss a beat, "It's settled then, Beth's Daddy will pick you up real, real early Christmas morning and you'll spend the day with us."

After a dessert of pecan pie and vanilla ice cream Daddy said, "We enjoyed having you here Son, and we look forward to having you here again very soon. For now though, I'd best get you home. I'm sure you and Beth both have studies to get to."

"Yessir, it's okay though, I can just walk." He dreaded the idea of her Daddy seeing that piece of crap he lived in.

Mama and Daddy practically said it in unison, "No, we couldn't allow that."

Daddy told him, "I don't mind a drive into town, c'mon now. You kids say your goodbyes and then we'll be on our way."

He wanted to hold Beth and kiss her goodbye, but he knew that wasn't possible. He had to settle for, "See you at school tomorrow Beth."

He thanked her Mama and said, "That was the best dinner I ever ate, thank you Ma'am."

Once him and her Daddy were in the car he told the man, "You could just drop me off at the school Sir, I can walk from there."

Daddy knew what was going on. "No Son, I'll be taking you home." He glanced over and said, "You're a good boy Daryl, I see that and that's what's important. I'm not going to judge you because of where you live."

Then Daddy got down to business, "Daryl, I'm an old man now, that's what you see. But I was a young man once, and I know all about being a young guy with feelings for a young girl. It's a natural thing. I see the way you and Beth look at each other, but Beth is only 13 and you're only 14. It's my responsibility as her Daddy to protect her. I want to protect you too."

"I'm not stupid either, I know that if the two of you want to spend time together I can't keep you apart, you'll find a way. So, I'll make a deal with you. You come out to the farm anytime you want. You'll be welcome, but there will be no time spent behind closed doors. For now, I can't allow you anymore freedom than that. Understood?"

A lot of things that happened that afternoon and evening surprised Daryl, but nothing more than the words her Daddy spoke. He wasn't sure exactly what he was supposed to say, but he answered, "Yessir, I understand, and thanks for inviting me to visit the farm."

He was mortified when her Daddy dropped him off at the rusty old single wide, but all the man said was, "You have a good evening now Son, and be sure you get that schoolwork done."

"Yessir I will, and thank you again."

* * *

Daryl Dixon did start coming to the farm on a regular basis, including every Tuesday night for dinner. And that year he celebrated his very first Christmas. He'd been so nervous, not knowing what to expect, but it was so good.

He thought it was the proper thing and so he took flowers for her Mama and flowers for Beth, they had a big Christmas breakfast and afterward, while Beth helped her Mama clean up, Daryl helped her Daddy with farm chores. They had an even bigger Christmas dinner, and that night was the very first time he heard Beth play the piano and sing. He'd never heard a more beautiful sound.

His feelings for her kept growing stronger and his heart told him Beth would always be the only one for him.

Her Daddy was right though, when two young people have such strong feelings and they want to spend time together, it's nearly impossible to keep them apart.

That's how it came about that one Saturday each month Beth Greene and Amy Harrison would go to the movies together. Daryl Dixon and Caesar Martinez would already be there waiting for them. The two couples always sat in the very last row of the dark theater, and they never saw much of whatever movie was playing.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, young love. Please leave a comment. Next chapter is a huge one where we learn why and how our couple became separated. I hope you'll be here for it Friday. Until then, stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and commenting :) This chapter has many big changes for our couple as we advance two years. It ends with their most life changing experience, when something happens to separate them.

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Beth turned 14 that summer and Daryl 15, and with the start of the new school year everything was awful. Just awful.

They didn't know how it could possibly be worse, and there wasn't anything they could do about it. She was going in the 8th grade and he was going in the 9th grade, and that meant he'd be over at the high school.

She cried about it more than once, not that crying did any good. It didn't matter if it did any good, she just couldn't help herself.

Apart from the school problem, things had been going so well for Daryl and Beth.

Beth's Mama and Daddy had grown to think of him as part of the family and she was grateful for all that meant. He was able to spend a lot of time at the farm and she even taught him to ride a horse, and he taught her how to shoot his bow. They got to be together often and as far as either of them were concerned, that made it the best summer ever.

As long as they were outside her folks didn't seem worried about the amount of time the young couple spent alone together. As if being outdoors deterred them from their favorite activity of all, making out.

That's the reason they did so much fishing over the hot summer. They even had their own little joke, they were going kissing and fishing.

They'd lay a blanket by the creek, lie down close to each other and kiss to their hearts content. As long as they came back to the house with a couple of fish, Mama and Daddy thought fishing was all they'd been doing.

It was so much more than just fishing and kissing though, their level of closeness went far beyond just the physical. The intimacy the young couple shared was powerful and often gut-wrenching and went right to the core of who they were, where they'd been and what they wanted in this life.

It might seem impossible for two such young people to share such a profound closeness, unless one of those young people had lived like Daryl Dixon had lived. His 15 years of life were not grounded in childhood and innocence. He'd never been nurtured and he'd never felt particularly young or loved or carefree.

Now, that Beth was in his life everything was different. They told each other their deepest and most personal secrets. Although compared to his, she felt her secrets seemed quite small and inconsequential. They paled next to his dark and frightening secrets. More than once she cried when he shared his stories with her.

It was the absolute proof of his deep trust in her when one summer's day he removed his shirt and showed her his back and chest. She was sure the angry-looking red and purple scars and the mottled skin were the most horrible thing she would ever see. Not because they made him ugly or less appealing to her, in her eyes nothing could ever make Daryl ugly.

What her heart couldn't take was knowing the fear and pain he experienced at the cruel hands of his father. She couldn't fathom a parent being capable of doing something so monstrous to their own child.

His stories didn't get any happier or easier to hear, they all saddened her, some frightened her and many made her cry.

He told her he was sure his Mama really did set the fire that killed her, and that she'd done it on purpose, "I know it's a rumor that goes around, but I think it's true. I know my Mom was miserable and she spent most of her time at the bottom of a wine bottle. Between the booze and the pills, and Daddy being the mean sumbitch he is, she slipped into some dark place where she just didn't wanna live anymore. She just gave up on life and life gave up on her."

She could see how much saying those things hurt him, but Daryl had a way of trying to hide his hurt inside. He almost succeeded. But the looked in his eyes when he spoke, and the way he seemed to be holding onto her hand for strength as much as out of affection, revealed to her his level of pain.

He also told her about his brother, Merle, and that was the part of his story he seemed the most torn about. On the one hand she could tell Daryl loved his brother. He spoke of the way Merle had taken more than one beating for him and how more than once he was the one to jump in and fight with his Dad, trying to keep the man from beating Daryl or their Mom.

But Merle wrestled with his own demons. He was drinking and doing drugs when he was still just a young child. At 12 years old he was suspended from school for showing up with liquor on his breath. When Daryl said, "I don't really blame Merle, it was just his way of dealing with the way things were." Beth was sure the statement was laced with anger, she could tell he was mad his brother had left him. He felt abandoned.

When Daryl told his stories all Beth could do was listen quietly as he spoke. He didn't need her advice or her comments, he needed to be able to tell all those things to someone he felt he could trust with his secrets. He needed to express his feelings. As hard as it was to listen, she felt blessed that Daryl had do much faith in her.

But they were teenagers and they had other things to talk about as well, and there was so much enjoyment to be had. They spent many fun-filled and nearly care-free days together that summer.

Daryl loved his time spent on the farm. He loved being close to Beth, he loved the freedom of being in those open spaces.

With Beth he had something he never had before. She listened, and even though he knew a lot of it was hard to hear, the worse it got the better she listened. She held his hand and although she sometimes cried, she never acted like he was an object of pity, she never asked dumb questions, never told him he "should have or could have," done something different. She just listened.

He didn't think there were any two people on this earth who had ever shared the closeness he and Beth did.

Then one day something profound happened. They were standing by the creek about to walk back toward the house with their catch. She whispered, "Daryl, wait," and wrapped her arms around him so tightly he froze in place wondering what was wrong. She laid her head on his back and in her sweet voice she said the words he'd never forget, "I love you Daryl. I'm going to love you my whole life."

He said the words right back to her because they were true, "I love you Beth. I could never love anyone else, you're the only one."

They said it, they meant it and they believed it with all of their young hearts.

As for the job, it was going great. He never realized the kind of money a guy could make waiting tables. One of the Front Waiters he worked with explained to him it was because they were working in such a fancy and pricey place, "Did you ever check out the menu Daryl? Shit, when a guy brings his girlfriend here for dinner it cost him the same as car payment, maybe two." And to think, he'd only applied for the job at Rancher's Cut because he could work at night.

He lived quite simply, his needs were small and he was pulling in good money. That fact was reflected in his bank account. It was getting fat.

* * *

Her Mama and Daddy tried to make them both feel better about the separation at school. Mama told them, "It's just a few months, then you'll both be in high school, and Daryl you'll still come for Tuesday dinner and some Saturdays, and whenever you want to."

Although they cared about Daryl like one of their own, Mama and Daddy were also aware that youthful romance can be a fickle thing. Secretly Beth's folks suspected the young romance would probably fade away, and that by the end of the year Daryl and Beth would have drifted apart for good.

It wasn't what her folks hoped for, it's just the way young love is.

They were wrong. In spite of their separation, by the time that school year came to an end Daryl and Beth's love had grown even stronger.

They'd changed so much. Not their hearts or their minds, but physically they'd blossomed. Daryl would turn 16 in a month. He was taller, his shoulders were broader and his muscles were much more developed and defined. He'd become more manly. He was even getting hair on his chest, and on the night's he worked at the restaurant he had to shave.

His voice had changed too, it was deeper and a little raspier. Although the tone was rough, Beth knew it wasn't because he was mean. It was just the natural character of it.

Her body had changed too. She was still petite and thin, but her hips had widened and although still small, her breasts were fuller. Her voice had changed a little too. It still had its sweet youthful innocence, but with a slightly lower tone.

The other thing they both seemed to have a lot more of were hormones. Kissing and back rubbing no longer seemed like quite enough.

It was getting tougher and tougher to hold back, but they made an agreement. They wouldn't take their love where they wanted it to go until she was 16. That was the absolute longest they thought they'd be able to wait.

When school resumed that fall and she became 15 and he became 16, they were once again attending the same school. Soon they even slipped back into a familiar routine.

He'd be waiting to walk her to homeroom in the mornings, and she often had a treat for him like cookies or a slice of pie. They'd meet for lunch in the quad and in high school they more easily got away with a casual kiss shared before returning to class.

Working and getting his studies done was a little harder for him, but he managed to keep his grades at C's and B's. That's all he really worried about. He was passing easily enough to reach his big goal. If he made it he'd be the first Dixon to ever receive a high school diploma.

What neither of them could have ever imagined about that year was how dramatically their lives would be changed. Not little changes, forever changes. And these big dramatic changes would come before they even got to Christmas.

But in the beginning, in the first few weeks of school it was almost magical. They both felt so grown up and Mama and Daddy had eased up on restrictions. Daryl and Beth were now allowed to see each other on Saturdays and Sundays outside the farm.

They still met Caesar and Amy at the movies, but they did other things too. Daddy let Daryl use his old truck and they drove up to the lake or hiked in the woods, and one Monday evening he told her to dress up, they were going out. It was a huge surprise when he took her to dinner at the Rancher's Cut.

It was the fanciest meal either of them ever had and it was right after that meal, when he'd helped her in the truck, that she finally asked him, "Daryl, we've been together a long time. We've promised each other it would be forever and we've shared all of our secrets, except one. I think it's time you finally tell me what it is you've been hiding from me and everyone else."

He should have realized that she of all people would catch on. She knew him so well, she knew the signs. He'd been found out.

He looked so deep in thought as he chewed at the side of his thumb, she knew what that meant. He was thinking hard, weighing options, deciding on things.

She was right, that was just what he was doing. He knew the time had come to be honest with Beth, he just had to decide how he was going to tell her. There was really only one option, he had to tell her the whole truth. Shit, he'd told her everything else.

Why not? He loved her, he was always going to love her, it was wrong for him to be keeping secrets.

As they drove he warned her, "I'ma take ya to my house Beth. I told ya before, the place is a piece of shit. Sorry, but that's the best way ta describe it. It's nuthin' but an old tin can that's fallin' apart. I only gotta stay there a couple more years though, then I'll be able ta get sumthin' better."

That's when he pulled the pickup off the road, cut the engine, looked at her and started to spill it, "I'm stuck for right now. No one's gonna rent a place to a 16 year old high school kid. That's why I gotta stay where I'm at. Besides, no one who lives in that broken down old trailer park is worried about what I'm up to, it's good cover."

She was so confused, "Daryl what are you talking about? And cover from what? And what do you mean no one's going to rent to a high school kid, what about your Dad?"

He fired the engine back up, put the old pickup in gear and said, "C'mon, let's get ta my place and I'll tell ya all about it."

Her eyes were on him the whole drive. Even if he hadn't been chewing on his lip she would have known he was anxious. As they pulled into the old park she thought maybe that was it, he was embarrassed. To say the trailer park was in a state of neglect would be an understatement, it was a shambles.

He pulled in next to an old wreck of a small single wide trailer and the place barely looked livable, but she didn't say a word. Something dark was brewing and she was going to let him work this through. She knew it was best to be patient with him, Daryl had his own pace.

He helped her from the truck, asked, "Ready?" She nodded and he held the door open as she walked up the two steps and inside. It wasn't nearly as bad as she feared. It was old, tiny, run down, and the furniture appeared to have worn out about ten years earlier. But it was clean and tidy.

The living room held a small couch, an old overstuffed chair and a cheap coffee table. The couch and chair were each covered with a thin blanket and she assumed that was to hide the wear. He directed her to the couch, "Have a seat. Ya want a coke or sumthin'?"

"No, I'm fine thanks."

He nodded as he walked over to her, "Where you're sittin' there? That used ta be my bedroom then, a couple a years ago, not long before we met, I took over the master suite." He laughed but she could hear bitterness in his laughter.

She responded, "Sit here with me Daryl," and patted her hand on the couch, "Next to me."

He plopped down but not as close as she'd hoped. He chewed on the side of his thumb a minute, and then he began to speak, "It was just after my 14th birthday. My Dad, he got himself hooked up with a woman. That was nuthin' unusual, except she didn't live around here. She lived over outta Columbus."

"They were together a couple weeks when he told me they were gonna take a ride over that way. He said maybe they might get her things, or maybe he'd stay there with her a while. He laid a twenty on the kitchen counter and they left. I ain't seen or heard from him since."

She couldn't help it; her hand covered her mouth as she gasped. She wanted to grab him and hold him close, but that didn't seem quite right. Not yet. They needed to talk about this. Besides, her own feelings were all over the place. She felt rage, disbelief and deep sorrow.

Try as she might it was impossible to hide all the anger she felt, "Oh my gawd, your Dad just left you here? With twenty dollars? You've been alone here for two years?"

It was the first time he smiled since they left dinner, "I wasn't alone, I had you girl."

She wasn't buying it and he went on, "If ya knew my Dad you wouldn't be surprised at all. I ain't. Anyway, I've just been keeping it a secret and doin' the best I could, but I know I did wrong hiding the truth from you. I love ya Beth, and I shoulda told ya what was goin' on." He shook his head and muttered, "That bastard."

He was angry, but she also saw so much sadness in him and she thought maybe she understood. Even though Daryl's Dad was a jerk he was still his Dad. What kid doesn't want love from their parents?

She couldn't hold back her tears any longer. She began quietly crying, not sure what she should do or say. All she could think to tell him was all he needed to hear, "I'm so sorry Daryl. I love you. What can I do to help?"

His face had the look of a person much older, a person with too much responsibility and too much to worry about, "You do it Beth, knowin' you love me is what gets me through every day and every night. It's what keeps me from going crazy, it keeps me working and keeps me going to school."

He wanted to get off this, try and cheer both him and her up. He took her hand and teased, "So whaddya think of my piece of crap bachelor pad? Kinda special, ain't it?"

"It's not nearly as terrible as you made it sound, and besides, anywhere you are is special Daryl."

She had that way about her, that way of making everything so much better. He wrapped his arms around her and they started to kiss, but this was a different kind of kissing. It was the kissing of two people hungry for closeness, hungry to find comfort in each other, hungry to fill a need they'd felt for too long. It went far beyond kissing.

It was hot and feverish when he pulled away from her just long enough to ask, "Ya wanna go in the bedroom?"

"Yes."

He stood and offered her his hand and they walked to the small bedroom. But before they lay on the bed he asked, "Ya sure Beth?"

"Yes."

And before they did what they'd agreed they wouldn't do until she was sixteen, he asked her one more time, "Ya sure Beth?"

"Yes."

It was the first time for both of them and it had it's nervous and very awkward moments, but it also had closeness, love and mutual satisfaction. After they'd done what they'd done they both cried. His tears were mostly caused by anger at himself, "I shoulda waited, I said I would. Shit, I'm sorry girl."

"Don't you dare be sorry Daryl. I'm not sorry. I'm just crying cuz I guess I'm a little overwhelmed by it all. I can't believe we did that, but I'm glad we did. We love each other, it's supposed to be an expression of love. And what difference does our age make anyway? We already promised each other we're always going to be together."

"I feel the same girl, but I didn't protect ya. I shoulda had some a them things, we shouldn't have done it without one. We won't again. We just gotta hope we got lucky this time." He looked at her, took her hand and softly kissed the back of it when he promised, "But if you was, if we, if there's a baby ya know I'd marry ya. I love ya girl."

They were late getting home to the farm and her Daddy was not a happy man. He told them both, "Daryl, you're welcome to come to dinner on Tuesday evenings, and I can always use your help on Saturdays. But for the next month Beth will not be leaving the farm except to go to school."

Daryl immediately apologized, "I'm sorry Sir. I should have been better about the time. It was my fault."

Daddy shook his head, "Nonsense, it was Beth's fault too. You both know how to tell time."

She started to protest, "But Daddy…"

And Daddy cut her off, "You start that and I'll make it two months." Daryl gave her a look and she didn't say any more.

Daddy told her, "Go to your room now Beth. As for you Daryl, I don't feel like driving you home this late. You go on and take the truck home, just bring it back as soon as you can."

"Yessir, I'll bring it tomorrow after school. Thank you, Sir, and I'm sorry."

"I know you are, just don't do it again. Drive careful now."

Tuesday morning he was waiting for her when she stepped off the bus. She'd been feeling sad about being on restriction, but seeing him always made everything better. He took her hand and they started walking and he asked, "Ya feelin' alright today girl?"

She knew what he as asking about and she leaned a little closer and whispered, "I'm fine , it doesn't hurt anymore."

"Good, sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry. I think it's just normal."

"Yeah, that's what I heard too."

They talked about her being on restriction and he promised, "We'll make it work. It'll go by fast. Just remember, we're in this together and forever."

They both knew he had to hurry to his class or he'd be late, so when they got to her locker he quickly kissed her goodbye, smiled and said, "See ya at lunch, girl."

How could either of them have guessed that small kiss would be their last?

It was his second class of the day, American History, they were talking about the westward movement when a runner came from the Principal's office with a note for the teacher. The teacher read it and said, "Daryl, the principal needs to see you in his office." She pulled her desk drawer open and handed him the big yellow card saying, "Better take the hall pass."

He didn't bother to take his books with him, he only took the hall pass and started walking that way, racking his brain as he walked. What had he done wrong? He didn't have tardies or absences, he'd parked Mr. Greene's truck in student parking just like he was supposed to. He'd done all of his assignments and he was passing every class. He couldn't think of what it could be.

When he got to administration he was promptly escorted into the principal's office, that was his first indication something was really wrong. There was a man he didn't recognize dressed in a business suit, a woman too. Both had briefcases. There was someone else, the young Deputy Sheriff, Rick Grimes. Shit, what was going on?

It was the principal who spoke and Daryl could tell the man was shaken up, "Daryl, I'm sorry to have to tell you, your father was arrested over in Columbus on felony assault charges. It was the night before last. Apparently he was quite inebriated and told the arresting officer he couldn't go to jail, that he needed to be let go because his son was living alone in Clausenville. He said he had to get home to take care of him."

Daryl knew then it was over, they were going to take him. He did what he'd been brought up doing, it was what Dixon's did. He bolted. He might have even made it, but just as he was about to escape out the main door the football coach, Abraham Ford, was walking in.

The coach acted on instinct, grabbing the young man and hanging on, "What's up Dixon?"

And the man and the woman in the suits hollered in unison, "Hold him!"

Daryl was yelling for them to let him go while the young deputy tried to bring some calm, "It's okay Daryl, no one's going to hurt you. They want to take care of you, you're going to have a real place to live." But Daryl could see the cop was pissed this was happening, yet what could he do? The law's the law and it was his job.

Daryl knew exactly what kind of "real place" it would be, one of those fuckin' "Boy's Ranch" places. He couldn't live like that, he wouldn't live like that and so he just kept fighting to break-free. The coach and the man in the suit hung onto him as they took him literally kicking and screaming down the hallway, on their way to the ominous looking black car that waited to drive him away.

It was as it was all taking place in the hall that the bell rang indicating the period was over. Beth came walking out of class to see the commotion playing out before her. She had no idea what was going on or why this was happening, all she knew was the boy she loved was being dragged away.

She screamed his name, "Daryl! Daryl!" as she started running toward him.

He was yelling back, "Beth! Wait for me Beth! I'll find ya! I promise!"

She dropped her things and began running faster, "No Daryl, no! Stop! You can't take him!" Two teachers grabbed a hold of her and all she could do was struggle to break free as she watched Daryl being carried out the big double doors and shoved into the back of the big black car.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He got away with it a long time, but dang, they got him. Please leave a comment and share your thoughts. I hope to see you back next Friday for another big chapter, we'll soon be back to their reunion at the coffee shop. Until then stay safe and remember, I love ya large, xo gneebee


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all very much. Last chapter was a hard one. This chapter we see things from Beth's and her family's perspective, and we learn what's happening with Daryl.

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Although the students of Clausen High School were alarmed and frightened at the sight of Daryl Dixon being dragged from school fighting and cussing, none were the least bit surprised to hear him calling out Beth's name.

And no student was at all surprised to see Beth Greene running toward Daryl Dixon as they carried him off and screaming for them not to take him.

None were the least bit shocked when she fell to her knees crying hysterically and repeating his name over and over.

Their schoolmates had known it for years, what Daryl Dixon and Beth Greene shared between them was the real deal. Solid. What kind of asshole would take him away, and why?

All the students were angry, confused and wanted answers. The halls of the school quickly entered into a state of chaos. One of their own had been forced into a car against his will and driven away.

None of the students paid attention to the warning bell. They were demanding answers. The young people had no idea what was going on, they only knew whatever was going on was wrong and they were fuming.

Amy hurriedly pushed through the crowd to get to her friend, falling to her knees beside Beth. The two teachers still had firm grips on Beth's upper arms, but Amy took her friend's hand as she tried in vain to soothe her, "Beth, Beth sweetie, c'mon. It's going to be okay. We'll figure this out and he'll be back before you know it. C'mon let's go, Caesar can give you a ride home."

One of the teachers restraining the hysterical young woman had other ideas, "You'll do no such thing. She's going to the nurse's office, they'll call her Mother to come for her. You just worry about yourself Miss Harrison, go on and get to class NOW."

As it turned out many of Daryl and Beth's schoolmates refused to return to class until answers were given, many other students had simply left for home, others went back behind the gym to smoke cigarettes and rant about the incident.

An awful lot of parents were called to come to the school that day and collect their children.

There were many students suspended as a result of the chaos, but those suspensions would all be reversed within a day when the school fell under a dark cloud of criticism. The story hit the evening news and when it did many in town were appalled to learn what had happened.

The reporter's tone added even more drama to the image of a 16 year old boy being forcibly dragged away in front of the entire student body. Parents wanted to know why their children had to witness such a thing.

When Beth Greene's Mama and Daddy arrived to pick up their daughter they were shaken, worried and angry. What could have happened to get their baby girl so hysterical that they would have to rush to school to get her? They walked in the office and Daddy demanded, "What in the world is going on here?"

The principal was talking fast as he tried to explain, "It wasn't our doing, we would prefer not to have this sort of thing on school property but it was out of our hands. It's not that Daryl did anything wrong, not at all, and he's just a boy."

He looked almost as shaken as the Greene's as he continued, "That's what started the trouble, in the eyes of the law he's still a child, a 16 year old minor. The people who took Daryl were with Child Protective Services. As shocking as it sounds, they think he's been living all by himself for at least two years."

Mama nearly fainted, "Oh my, no, how can that be? He could have stayed with us."

While Daddy nearly snarled the question, "So the authorities came to the school and dragged the boy away against his will, and in front of my daughter and all their classmates?"

They got their girl in the car and although she'd calmed down a little, her profound crying had not stopped. Mama sat in the backseat with her and held her daughter close, stroking her hand over Beth's hair and promising everything would be alright, while in worried silence Daddy drove them back to the farm.

When they arrived home Mama slipped an arm through Beth's as they climbed the stairs to her daughter's room. The young girl threw herself on the bed and her Mama sat beside her, rubbing Beth's back and trying to comfort her daughter as she wept.

In the meantime, Daddy was downstairs in his office where he placed two quick calls. The first call was to his older daughter, Maggie. She'd completed college and was now working not far from Savannah. He was hoping she'd be able to get a few days off work and come home.

When she answered the phone Daddy gave her a quick rundown of the situation and explained, "I wish you would try to come home Maggie, we need you here. Beth needs a big sister. She'll talk to you about things she'd never share with me or Mama, and she needs to talk to someone. This is a terrible situation."

Maggie didn't question further, she agreed.

The next call he placed was to the sheriff's office, specifically to Rick Grimes. Daddy had known the young deputy's Father for many years and he had in mind to take advantage of that friendship. There were questions he wanted to have answered. His girl was upstairs crying her heart out and he'd play every card he had to get those answers.

Young Grimes agreed to come by that evening as soon as he was off duty.

It was as he hung up from that conversation that Hershel Greene thought to make one more call. He looked up the number in the book, The Rancher's Cut. He remembered Daryl saying the owner's name was Carol. That, and the fact that Daryl was due to start his work week the next night was all Hershel knew.

The woman was as stunned as everyone else, she told Daddy, "I can't quite imagine this, I thought he'd just celebrated his 19th birthday, and now you're telling me I hired a 14 year old boy? That's simply unbelievable. I have to tell you Mister Greene, Daryl is the best worker I've ever had. In two years that kid has never asked for time off or complained about a thing. Please, let me know if you hear anything more. Poor Daryl, and I'm very sorry for your daughter."

Beth refused her dinner and her Mama got stern, "I know your heart is broken so I'll let you get away with that drama this evening, but tomorrow morning I'll expect to see you clean your breakfast plate young lady. Daryl wouldn't be happy knowing you're starving yourself."

Beth did come downstairs when the deputy arrived. No one wanted answers more than she.

Mama had a pot of coffee made and she set out a plate of cookies, although Daddy suspected that after the day he'd no doubt had, the deputy could probably do with a cold beer. But there was no alcohol on the Greene farm. Once upon a time Hershel Greene had tackled that demon himself, he saw no reason to tempt it back.

Beth was anxious and her voice carried a demanding tone, "Why did they take Daryl?! And where did they take him? What did he do?!"

Daddy reminded her the deputy was a guest in their home, "Beth, there will be none of that. Rick's been kind enough to come over and talk to us on his own time. I expect you to treat him with respect."

Beth looked at the man and apologized, "I'm sorry Deputy Grimes. I just don't understand."

The deputy remembered seeing her at the school, and now as he looked in those puffy and red-rimmed eyes the sadness in them broke his heart a little. He spoke softly, "I understand Beth. I didn't care much for the way things happened myself."

He took a sip of his coffee and a bite of a cookie, neither of which he wanted but it would be rude to his hostess not to at least act like he enjoyed the offering. He complimented her on the deliciousness, and then explained, "I got assigned to this particular duty just this morning. I was told the child welfare people had to pick up a boy at his home. I was advised the child's Mother was deceased and his Father had abandoned him. He was to be taken into protective custody."

"They're required to have a law enforcement officer with them, and I didn't expect it was going to be anything more than me escorting the boy. I had no idea the kid didn't know it was coming, or that he'd already been living on his own for two years."

Although there had been some mention of it in the principal's office, Daddy was stunned to hear this statement, "Daryl really was living on his own? Are you sure Rick? It was our understanding he was living with his Father."

Then Daddy looked at her and asked, "Bethie, did you know about this?"

"No, not until yesterday, I promise Daddy. I knew Daryl was keeping a big secret and last night I told him that if he loves me he should trust me enough to tell me his secret. He did and I was as shocked as you. He told me his Dad left him right after his 14th birthday with nothing but twenty-dollars. He said he hadn't heard from him since. What I don't understand Deputy Grimes is, if Daryl didn't do anything wrong then why is he being punished?"

The sheriff felt her pain and understood her confusion, just like he'd seen Daryl's hurt and anger. He tried to sound calm and reassuring when he answered, "The state doesn't see it as punishment Beth, they see it as protection. In their eyes Daryl's still a child, too young to be left alone to care for himself. Since he has no family to care for him the state assumes that responsibility. They'll seek to place him somewhere where he'll be safe and cared for until he's 18."

Mama didn't like the way that sounded at all, "What does that mean, place him? That sounds awful."

"Well talking about it now it does sound pretty terrible, but it's really not meant to be. Anyway, the way things stand now, he won't be going anywhere for a while. Not after the way everything happened today."

Hershel asked the question all the Greene's wanted answered, "What do you mean by that Rick, what happened?"

Rick's shoulders slumped and he explained, "He's a minor and even if he wasn't, I'm not free to give you a lot of details. But let's just say, hypothetically speaking, let's say a fellow was to object to something like this so strongly that it was feared he might put himself, or those around him in serious danger. If that was the case, they may not place him right away. Instead, he might be sent to a hospital-like institution for a while. The kind of facility where they would try to get to the root of what was troubling him. That might be the first step."

Hershel responded, "I see, and I suppose it would be impossible for you to tell us where that sort of facility might be?"

"Yes, I'm afraid I can't do that and they wouldn't allow you to see him anyway. Only family members are allowed contact, and my understanding is the only family Daryl has are his father and his brother. Both are currently incarcerated and even if they weren't, with their histories I doubt they'd be allowed much contact."

Beth started to cry again, "It's not true, I'm his family, Mama and Daddy are his family. Please sheriff, please. I have to talk to him."

If it were up to the deputy he would have taken her to the boy right then, but that wasn't how things work.

Before Rick Grimes could speak her Daddy did, "Beth, you can't ask Rick to jeopardize his job. He's already been very kind in telling us so much. We'll just have to try and think of something. Some way."

As he stood to leave Rick shook Hershel's hand and said, "He'll be okay, he's one tough kid. Maybe a little wild and out of control right now, but my understanding is he's a good student and a hard worker. Sheesh, can you imagine a 14 year old kid working full time, going to school, paying his own bills?"

Rick couldn't hold it back, after all, he was still just a kid himself, barely 22. The young deputy smiled mischievously and said, "And he's pretty darn strong too. There's a fellow who works for protective services, and I ain't saying where or how he got them, but he went home from work tonight with a fat lip, a busted nose and a black eye."

Hershel smiled back, "I would expect nothing less. And Rick, thank you again."

Rick nodded and promised, "If there's any news I can share with you, I will. I'll be keeping an eye on the situation as best I can."

Beth was still crying but she pleaded, "If you see him will you tell him I love him? Please."

"Yes, if I see him." Knowing there was almost no chance he would see Daryl Dixon again.

Hershel Greene accompanied the deputy to his vehicle and it was then Rick quit holding back, "Listen Hershel, I'm not legally allowed to tell you anything. I shouldn't have told you what I did and I shouldn't tell you anything more. Shit, I've already said way too much and I like my job, but I know my family owes you. I know you did some things to help out my Dad. It's also clear that you genuinely care about this kid and so do your wife and daughter."

Hershel promised, "I'll never tell a soul Rick, you have my word."

The younger man bowed his head, looking despondent and sounding apologetic when he said, "It was just supposed to be a routine juvenile-in-danger pickup. We'd done a search and gotten the address of the trailer he was living in, we went there first. Of course you know he wasn't there and some seedy neighbor said, 'I think that boy's in school,' nice huh? I guess the neighbors knew all along he was living there alone."

"Anyway, from there we went to the school, still thinking it would be a routine pickup," He bowed his head again and admitted, "It was anything but routine. That kid did not go easy. He never stopped kicking, punching, biting, shit Hershel, he tried to kick open the car door and throw himself out of a moving vehicle."

He shrugged adding, "Maybe I should have cuffed him but I couldn't bring myself to do it."

"The end result was, they decided to take him to the hospital to see if they could get him calmed down."

"Even at the hospital he didn't stop. The minute we walked through those doors he tried to make a break for it again but some big orderly grabbed him that time."

"I had to accompany him while the doctor did his best to give the kid an exam so he could sedate him. It was during the exam that Daryl had to remove his t-shirt. That's when the whole picture changed. His entire upper body is covered with terrible scars. It's obvious he's been brutalized by someone. The Doc and I both asked questions, but he refused to provide any details about how he'd gotten the scars. He only said something along the line of it being none of our F'ing business."

"So, now they've transferred him to the facility and put him on suicide watch. He's in secure lockdown. I promise they have his best interests at heart. They're not mistreating him, they just want to get to the bottom of this mess and make sure they get him in a place where he can get real help. With those kinds of scars on the outside, they figure there's got to be plenty on the inside too."

The deputy shook his head, "Just think, if that son of a bitch Will Dixon hadn't beaten a woman nearly to death Saturday night, we might not have ever known about Daryl. He could have continued living in that trailer alone." He shook his head and added, "I still can't believe a kid pulled that off for two years. I doubt we'd have ever caught on if the old man didn't get popped."

Hershel nodded, "I can't believe it either, and I know the boy. I drove him home plenty of times, I never thought a thing about not seeing his Dad. I assumed he was likely at the local dive bar or out in the woods making his shine. What you say about the scars, it makes me think Daryl was safer and much better off on his own."

"Yeah, from everything I've heard Will Dixon's a real nasty piece of work."

With a mind to beat the daylight and go unseen by curious eyes, the next morning the neighbor man, Otis arrived on the farm at five a.m. Daddy was waiting. Otis had a few wooden crates in the bed of his truck when he drove Daddy over to the high school parking lot. The men transferred the crates to Hershel's rig and said their goodbyes. That's when Daddy drove to the old trailer. He jimmied the lock on the shed first, removed Daryl's bow, the bicycle, and some fishing gear. Then he did the same thing in the house. He took the boy's clothes, and other personal items, including a notebook where Daryl had written on the cover, "Daryl and Beth," with a little heart next to it.

Hershel left everything else. Maybe it was wrong to take what he took, but he didn't know what was going to happen next, and he saw no reason to let the state confiscate those things. He'd save them for the boy. Once back at the farm he placed them in a safe spot in the barn and covered them with a tarp.

Beth didn't go to school that day, she wouldn't be back there for a while. Mama and Daddy had decided against forcing the issue. In the meantime, Maggie arrived late that afternoon and she didn't come alone. They'd all heard about Glenn during her holiday visits and such, but they'd never met him.

She told her parents in her usual half-sassy and unapologetic way, and right in front of the man, "I wasn't willing to leave him behind while I came here. He may not know it yet, but I have every intention of marrying this man."

Daddy and Mama had been living in a constant state of surprise for the previous 30 hours, this latest one was just another to add to the list. He seemed like a nice enough young fellow, and Daddy had already learned his lesson. He reached a hand out to the younger man and said, "Welcome to our home Glenn."

Mama served everyone a big dinner and there was plenty of conversation around the table, although the small group were careful. No one spoke of "it" during dinner, Beth was still their biggest concern.

The poor girl couldn't seem to stop crying for long, and her family was well aware she had a delicateness about her. Beth was a young woman with a tender heart and a sensitive nature.

With that in mind, after the meal Maggie suggested she and Beth go to her room and talk. Beth anxiously agreed. Seeing her older sister had brightened the girl's spirits, and her Daddy was right, she needed someone she could talk to.

Once in Beth's room the sisters sat on the bed like they'd done many times over the years, and Beth told her sister everything. Maggie was stunned to hear her 15 year old sister would be intimate with a boy. Not because those things didn't happen, shoot they happened every day and Maggie herself had been a wild child. But this was Beth and Beth was different.

That's when Maggie fully understood. The relationship between her sister and the boy named Daryl Dixon was more than just some teenage romance.

Then, even though she was embarrassed and her face was bright red, that's when Beth told the rest of the story, "We got too…excited…I guess that's the word. We didn't use anything…you know, protection. So now, I don't know."

Maggie tried not to act like that wasn't the biggest, and maybe the worst news of all, she only asked, "So when are you supposed start?"

"In a week."

"Okay, well let's wait and worry about that when the time comes." That's what Maggie said, but she was already plenty worried.

It was a relief to Maggie when it came early, Beth's period started the next day. Beth wasn't at all relieved or happy. She wanted to have Daryl's baby. She wanted to have a part of him with her. Her sadness deepened.

She told Maggie those things and Maggie did her best to comfort her sister, while she also did her best to try and reason with Beth in the most gentle and understanding way she could, "Sweetie, think about it. Maybe it's better this way. He's gone now, you two wouldn't be able to share this wonderful experience together. If they keep him until he's 18 he wouldn't have gotten to see the baby until then. You wouldn't want that, would you? Don't you want Daryl here with you when that time comes?"

But just as she had been since he left, Beth was inconsolable. She filled her journal with her sadness and she wrote him a letter she knew she couldn't send, but still she wrote him of her love and promised once again that she would wait for him forever. She also told him he shouldn't worry that there was no pregnancy, and she admitted how disappointed she was about that, "I always wanted to be a Mom," she wrote, and added, "I wanted to be the Mom of _our_ baby Daryl, yours and mine."

The next day she refused to get out of bed, no matter how hard Maggie and Mama tried to get through to her, she simply wouldn't budge. Later that afternoon when Beth got up to use the bathroom, and seemed to be in there a little too long, Maggie realized something was terribly wrong.

She called her sister's name and when there was no response Maggie crashed her hip and shoulder against the door freeing the lock.

The sight nearly stopped Maggie's heart. It was the scenario she feared, Bethie had given up. Her sister stood with the piece of broken mirror poised just above her wrist, and Maggie screamed, "No, Bethie no!"

Beth burst into tears, "I wasn't really going to, I just…I don't want to live without him Maggie."

Maggie grabbed her and held as she repeated over and over, "You'll see him again Beth, you'll see him. You just have to do like you promised, you have to wait for him."

The incident set in motion many changes.

Maggie and Glenn decided to make a huge life change, they would relocate to Clausenville so Maggie could be close to her young sister. A counselor was found for Beth, and Beth didn't go back to school for the rest of that year. Mama home schooled her.

The Greene's managed to keep what happened their own little secret, except for one other person, the young deputy. Rick Grimes happened to go to the farm that day. He'd heard from a friend who worked security at the facility, and it seemed Daryl was still fighting the system. The boy was refusing to talk and had made yet another attempt to break out. When caught he only screamed in anger, "I gotta get ta Beth!" Other than that, he was silent. The good news was that physically, the kid was doing fine.

Rick only planned to share with the Greenes the part about the boy still being at the facility. That's how he happened to be just pulling up to the farm and stepping out of his vehicle when he heard Maggie scream.

The incident shook Rick Grimes and that night he felt compelled to write a note to Daryl Dixon. All it said was, "Beth wants you to know she loves you."

The next morning he drove two towns over and visited his friend who worked security at the facility, asking him to pass the note along. The fellow advised, "I can't give it to him, but maybe I can tell it to him. What does it say?"

Rick told him and two days later his friend called, "I finally got near enough to the boy to give him the message, he said 'tell Beth I love her and please keep waiting.' Damn Rick, this is some sad shit going on." Rick agreed.

That night after work he delivered Daryl's message to Beth, and then in his best stern deputy voice he asked her, "Now isn't that a good enough reason to live?"

"Yes, I'll do better. I promise." And the deputy couldn't help but think that if they'd just let the young girl talk to the young boy, maybe she could convince him to talk to the authorities, to tell his story.

In the meantime, over at the facility in Smithton Daryl Dixon had once again been caught trying to escape. He'd managed to remove an air intake cover on the ventilation system and was crawling through the duct work hoping to find a way out.

After that attempt a decision was made to transfer him to a more secure facility in Atlanta.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I guess we all knew Daryl Dixon wouldn't go easy, and that Beth would take it very hard. Please leave a comment with your thoughts. I hope to see you next Friday for a new chapter of I'll Walk With You, when we'll hear Daryl's POV and then come back to them as adults at the coffee stand. Until then stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading along! We're going to spend a little time on Daryl's POV as he's picked up at school and taken away, but it won't be long and we're going to get back to adulthood and Daryl and Beth at the coffee stand.
> 
> So much emotion.

00

When he realized what was about to happen he didn't stop to think, he reacted. Dammit, why did that big ass football coach have to ruin everything? Daryl was sure if not for Coach Ford he could have gotten away. He would have made his way up in the hills to his Dad's old moonshine shack. He could have hidden out there for years and no one would ever find him.

He'd live off the land, hunt and fish for his food and he could somehow get word to Beth. She could come there to visit with him. It wouldn't have been perfect but it would be a whole lot better than him being stuck in this shitty place, alone. Him and Beth could be together like it was always supposed to be. Her and him forever.

So he fought like hell to break free. He had to. Every part of his being was screaming to get away and get back to Beth. Wasn't it just his shitty luck? He finally had a good life and he was happy then these assholes come along and want to take everything away from him.

He couldn't just give up and do things their way, he couldn't go along quietly.

It was all his fucking Dad's fault. He always managed to ruin everything whether he was around or not.

The doc and deputy Grimes didn't seem like bad people, they were probably okay guys. But he still wasn't telling them anything about how he got the scars or admitting to anything about his old man. And even if they had proof positive he was never going to tell them he'd been living on his own the past two years. He'd been well-schooled by his Father and he knew better than to ever tell the authorities anything.

The old man had raised him and Merle to keep their mouths shut no matter what, and Daryl knew he wasn't safe from his Dad just because that bastard was behind bars. His sonofbitching father always managed to figure a way out of every scrape. He'd get out of this one too. And when he got out, if he thought for one second Daryl had squealed on him, there was no doubt in the boy's mind his father wouldn't think twice about killing him for talking.

So fuck it, all he cared about was busting out of the stupid place, and even if he never was able to he still wasn't telling anyone anything about anything.

The kid was tough as nails, there was no one who doubted that. But the truth remained, Daryl Dixon was still a boy. A boy who had been beaten and abandoned.

The shot doc gave him did calm him down, physically at least. It was his mind that never would stop going.

As soon as he was medicated they loaded him up in a med-transport van and hauled him to some other place. It wasn't another hospital, it was some kind of damn institution where the big attendant escorted him to his small stark room. There was a bed, toilet, sink. Just like prison. The guy handed him a pair of scrubs to sleep in and Daryl defiantly threw them in the corner. He wasn't going to be wearing a damn pair of pajamas when he finally busted out of this joint.

The boy was exhausted and emotionally drained When he laid on the bed with his face toward the wall and his back to the attendant, and when young Daryl Dixon heard the man shut and lock the door, he cried himself to sleep.

**Eight Years Later**

He's been with the State Highway Department for two years working out of Columbus. Last month he was caught totally by surprise when the senior supervisor approached him about transferring to the concrete batch processing plant just outside Clausenville, but he didn't hesitate. He didn't take the transfer because of the new important-sounding job title they were going to give him or the pay increase. He took the job because he thought maybe it was a sign.

He loaded his motorcycle in the bed of his pickup and packed up everything he owned in the bed, in the cab and in his travel trailer. He hitched the trailer to his pickup and hit the road for Clausenville, not knowing exactly what might happen next.

* * *

He's got his travel trailer all setup in what seems to be a pretty nice little RV Park. It's clean, there's grass, trees and picnic tables and best of all it should be mostly quiet. RV living can be an inexpensive lifestyle and it's obvious the place isn't just a travel stop. The folks he sees around are older, probably retirees. He'd bet most of the folks at Clausen's Shady Oak RV Park live here permanently.

There's a big building in the center of the park with a laundry room, bathrooms and showers, a recreation room and there's even a small swimming pool. The lady in the office is real nice, she smiles at him when she says, "Every Friday evening we have happy hour in the rec room. There are drinks and snacks and some of our guests play music. It's lots of fun. You be sure and join us Daryl."

He smiles at her and promises, "I'll try'n do that, thank you Ma'am," and hands her his debit card. He's paying for a month's stay, he'll see what shakes out from there.

She hands him back the paper with the codes to get in all the facilities, along with the WiFi code and a list of the TV channels. That's that. Home sweet home.

He's been living in the travel trailer a long time but now he's thinking about maybe finding himself something more permanent. Maybe a place to rent, or maybe he'll find a place he can afford to buy. Maybe. But if things don't work out with Beth he figures what's the point, he'll just live in the travel trailer the rest of his life.

He knows he's taking a big chance moving back to Clausenville and he's aware he's setting himself up for major heartbreak. Yet he has to give it a try, he has to see if Beth is still around and if she's still with that guy.

Maybe it isn't right to hope her marriage broke up, but that's the only hope he has to hang onto. If she's single then maybe, just maybe her and him can try again. He isn't worried about the child either, he'll happily take on Daddy duty. He'll do anything to get Beth back in his life.

The bosses gave him a week to find housing and settle in, so the past couple days he's gotten everything setup. The 32' trailer is all tidied up and there are groceries socked in. He was able to find a good used shed and he set it up at the rear of the trailer. It houses his bow and his fishing and camping equipment.

The last two things he does is take the pickup to the car wash, then polish his bike.

This morning he figures he's as ready as he's ever going to be to set his plan in motion. He's going to get on his bike and ride out to the farm, and this time he'll actually stop, like he should have done the last time he was in town, six years ago. He'll be enough of a man to go to the door and speak with her Daddy and her Mama. He'll apologize for not contacting them these past years, and he'll give them long overdue thanks for how good they always treated him.

He noticed when he drove to the car wash yesterday, right up the road there's one of those drive through coffee stands. It's a little early to go calling on folks but he's up and he needs to be doing something. He'll stop by that stand with his Thermos, get it filled and drive out by the lake.

Why not torture himself by visiting one of his and Beth's favorite spots?

He grabs the metal Thermos from the cabinet, his helmet from the chair and he's out the door.

What are the odds he'd pull up to the coffee stand and come face to face with the woman he's been in love with since he was 14 year's old? Beth. Damn, can this really be real? And how can it be that she's even prettier than she was? He can almost feel the soft texture of those shiny blonde curls, and she's still got those beautiful blue eyes and that million dollar smile, and her sweet little body hasn't changed a bit.

Of all the things he aches to tell her, and all the things his heart wants to say, all he can come up with is, ""Beth. It's been so long since I seen ya girl. How ya been?"

What an idiot.

He can see she's stunned; shit he is too. He quickly dismounts the bike and walks as close to the little window as he can get, "Is it really you girl?"

How can this be? How can Daryl be standing here now? Oh my gosh, and he's gotten even more manly. His shoulders are so broad, and although he always had a muscular build, the last time she saw him he was still so young and slim.

His body has filled out and she thinks he looks like some kind of modern day Adonis. The body, the shaggy hair, the scruff of whiskers and that crooked little half-smile. He's the whole package.

But her head is all turned around and she can't seem to think clearly as quiet tears begin rolling down her cheeks, all she can manage to ask is, "Where have you been?"

No sooner is the question out of her mouth than Daryl sees the Asian man getting out of his car and approaching them. A little boy is walking by the man's side. He recognizes the guy immediately, he's her husband. Shit, they're still together. He doesn't know how the guy might react, and he damn sure doesn't want Beth getting in trouble for talking to some old high school boyfriend. He's ready to jump back on the bike and take off.

Before he can make a move the man who Daryl thinks is her husband is right there looking and sounding concerned when he asks her, "Is everything okay Beth?"

She looks at the man as she hurries to wipe the tears from her cheeks and answers, "Yes, yes I'm okay. I guess I must look shocked, I _am_ shocked. This is someone you've heard me talk about a million times Glenn. Daryl Dixon, meet my brother in law Glenn Rhee and my nephew Hershel."

Daryl's head is spinning, everything he thought was true he now realizes wasn't ever true at all.

Meanwhile, Glenn's thinking fast. He sees the enormity of the situation and quickly suggests, "Beth, why don't you let me and Hershel take over here so you and Daryl can go somewhere and talk."

Daryl looks at her with those same piercing blue eyes she was never able to forget, and in the voice that still sends a chill skittering up her spine he whispers, "Please. Beth...Please."

Her mind goes to a safe, practical place, "No, I can't possibly. It's my first day, I just started. I can't just leave."

Glenn and young Hershel are already in the small booth and her brother in law rests a hand on her shoulder when he says, "Sure you can. I'm the boss and I just told you to go." Then he looks at Daryl and says, "Try not to screw this up, and whatever you do, don't hurt her again. She's been through enough."

Daryl's practically stuttering when he answers, "No, no, I won't. Beth takes the lead."

For eight long years her heart has ached to see this man, to feel his arms around her and to hear his raspy voice whisper the words, "I love ya girl." Now, after so many years suddenly here he is. Her thoughts and emotions are tied up in knots, right along with her tummy. Her whole body seems to be trembling and her heart is pounding so hard she's certain everyone within a mile of her can hear it.

Glenn hands her her sweater and small purse and quietly says, "Just tell him all those things you've waited so long to say, he deserves a good ass chewing." She's not sure she can move at all and if she does she's afraid her legs will give out or worse, she'll faint.

Her tension eases a little when her nephew reprimands, "Daddy, you said a bad word!"

Daryl's waiting for her just outside the shop door. All he wants to do is sweep her up in his arms and never let her go, but he doesn't do those things. There's one thing he's pretty sure of, if this happens between them at all it's going to take some time.

Worst of all, now that he realizes his mistake and that she wasn't married, he knows she must have thought he just blew it all off, forgot about her and went on with his life. He's fully aware of just how badly he fucked up and he's sure she must hate him.

Still, everything he's ever wanted is riding on this and he's ready to gamble, so he ventures, "If ya want we could go for a ride up ta the lake, maybe talk there, or we could go ta my place. It's just right down the street. Anywhere ya wanna go girl, just name it."

She's firm, "I'm not going to your house and I'm not going to the places we used to go. I'm not going to be fooled by you again Daryl."

It's a punch to the gut but he isn't going to get pissed or push the situation, she's mad at him and she has every right to be. All he wants is a chance to try and redeem himself. He doesn't argue or beg, he simply suggests, "How bout we walk? I can push the bike and we can walk back to my place, not go inside, we ain't gotta do that. I just wanna lock the bike up. After that you're in charge, you tell me whatever you wanna do and that's what we'll do."

What she wants is for him to hold her and tell her something that will make everything alright, anything that will convince her that him going for so long without contacting her was justified. She wants to believe his story, then she wants him to kiss her, she wants him to make love to her and she wants them to live happily ever after. But she answers, "Okay, we'll walk to your place. Then we'll see."

It's a start and for now he's happy with that. He tries to smile as he nods and says, "Yeah, sure, let's walk." He should stop talking right there, but his lips keep moving and the words keep coming, "Beth, whether you believe me or not, I'd walk anywhere with you. My feelings ain't changed."

She stops in her tracks, turns to him and in an angry tone says, "You stop that Daryl Dixon, you don't get to say those kinds of things to me."

He meant what he said and he's hurt by her response, but he's still not blaming her. He knows how badly he fucked up that day he came back to town for her. He should have approached her, he should have been man enough. He would have known then the Asian man he saw her with wasn't her husband and the baby she was holding wasn't hers.

So for now he'll take whatever she dishes out. She can verbally beat him up as much as she wants and needs to. All he wants is a chance to make everything up to her. He desperately needs this to work for them but he can't even imagine how that's going to be possible.

With every fiber of her being Beth yearns for him to hold her. She wants to tell him that wherever he's been and whatever he's done doesn't matter, it's okay, they're together now and that's all that matters to her. But that's not true, nothing's okay. She has to protect herself, both her heart and her mind. She can't allow Daryl to put her through again what she barely made it through the first time.

As they enter the RV park and approach his trailer memories come flooding back to her. It's like the way he used to live got a massive facelift. That place was old, rundown and half scary. This place looks pretty and kind of tranquil.

But his old place had one thing about it that was very special, it's where they made love for the first and only time. She shakes her head to clear the thought, she has to quit thinking about that kind of stuff. She can't be remembering the sweetness and the love. She'll weaken. She has to be firm. Yet for some reason she's unsure of, she asks him, "Do you have any cokes?"

"Yeah, I can go in and get ya a coke."

And even though she knows she's a fool for doing it, she tells him, "No, let's just go inside and have one."

He's trying not to let on how happy he is to hear those words. He has so much to tell her and so much to apologize for and it feels like it might be easier if they were sitting alone together. Maybe once he tells her everything she'll understand. Maybe she'll even forgive him. Maybe they can try and resurrect their love.

He reaches around her to open the trailer door and for a brief moment their bodies are so close they almost touch. It's all he can do to keep from taking her in his arms and kissing her, what he doesn't know is that's what she wants too.

She's surprised by how cute the trailer is, or maybe cute isn't exactly the right word. It's really nice. She's had the picture of his old place in her head all these years and this place is so modern and bright. She takes a look around and although the size of things is scaled down, there's everything a person might need. There's a kitchen area to the left with a small refrigerator / freezer, a stove and oven, there's even a microwave.

In the center of the space is a dinette table with bench seats to either side, and next to it are a pair of chairs. To her right is a small sofa, and at the back of the space is a built in cabinet with a TV in the center. There are books on the shelves but at this distance she can't see the titles.

She sees the closed door just beyond the kitchen and when he notices her looking that way he says, "The bedroom's through there."

He tries to act like he didn't just say that word, and she tries to act like she didn't just hear that word.

He switches gears quickly, "Um, have a seat…anywhere ya like." She sits on the sofa, just as close to the arm as she can get and trying hard to avoid eye contact, while he tries to keep up the act, "So, ya want that coke on ice?"

She still doesn't quite look at him, "Yes, I would please, and thank you." So formal and stilted, but he doesn't blame her for being on edge, he's on edge too.

Their fingers barely touch when he hands her the glass of pop and it's all he can do to pull his hand away. He takes the chair across from her and sets his own glass on a small side table. His mind is racing with the million things he wants to tell her, and the million things he wants to ask her.

He's desperate to break the ice, but all he can think to ask is, "So that's where ya work huh? The coffee place?" Geez, of all the things he could have said or asked, no one has to tell him how lame that was.

He'd like to reel it back but she answers, "I've done a few different things since high school. For a while I was the receptionist at a construction office, but when I started having trouble with someone there I quit."

She pauses to take a sip from her coke while he's feeling an angry adrenaline rush. He wants to ask who the asshole is that bothered her so much she'd quit a job, but for now he stays quiet and waits for her to speak.

"My last job was as a receptionist at a real estate office, but I quit to go to work for my brother in law and my sister." She laughs nervously and adds, "Amy just keeps telling me not to worry, I'll find my niche."

That makes him smile, "Amy. So you and Amy are still friends huh?"

"Yes of course, Amy will always be my best friend. She's been through everything with me."

He feels the guilt stab at his heart and he wants to say, "yeah, after your boyfriend turned out to be a complete shithead, huh?" Instead he asks, "Do ya have any idea whatever became of Caesar?"

"Sure I do, Caesar and Amy are married and they have a baby on the way." She looks down as her cheeks turn bright pinks and she adds, "For them it really was true love."

Ouch. The knife just twisted but he doesn't back away, "I had that comin' Beth. I'd like to try and explain it all to ya, everything that happened. At first I had no way ta come back to ya. I tried so hard. I had more attempted escapes than anyone else ever did, they just kept tightening the security and I just kept trying. I didn't get out til I turned 18. Then I came right her ta Clausenville and back to you Beth."

She's feeling a mix of shock and anger, why would he say that? And if he really did come back, why didn't she see him? "What do you mean you came back to me? I sure as heck never saw you Daryl Dixon."

"I know girl. Shit that was on me. But I…I did see you. You just didn't see me. It was two days after I got out. I'd been talking to this doc for a while on account of they thought I was troubled and suicidal and shit, when all I wanted was out."

"Anyway, Doc Denise, she's a headshrinker. It turned out we got along pretty good and besides shrinkin' my head, she did a lot of other stuff for me. She made sure I got tutored and I got my high school diploma. Then one day a couple months before I's supposed ta get out she told me she had an uncle who's a big deal in the Navy. She talked to him about me and he promised if I signed up he could make sure I got in the Seabees. During my four years of duty I could learn a good construction skill."

"Anyhow, I told her I couldn't agree to nuthin' without talkin' to you first." He bows his head and continues, "I don't have some big fabulous excuse Beth, just my own dumb ass. I was young and I was stupid and I screwed up everything, but that wasn't my plan - my plan was ta come here and talk to you."

She watches him chewing his lip and for some reason she feels sorry for him, like he's the one who got hurt. She wants to tell him to just forget his stupid story and kiss her, but she doesn't, she wouldn't. She just listens as he tries to explain, "I had what I thought was a really good plan, and not just for me. For us. And not just for the time being, but for our future and stuff."

He's shaking his head and chewing the side of his thumb, all the same old tics that she remembers so well. He's older, he's a man now, but he's still the boy she'll always love. He continues, "I still had a couple weeks to make my decision and I thought I'd come here and we'd have that time together, then I'd go ta boot camp up in Great Lakes. But we'd see each other girl. I'd have time off and I could come here. You could come wherever they sent me and stay a while."

His voice gets deeper, huskier and she knows it's his emotions coming through as he goes on, "I hoped as soon as ya graduated we'd get married and you'd live with me wherever they sent me." He shakes his head and laughs mockingly at himself, "Yeah, I had it all figured out alright."

He sighs and his shoulders shrug and he tells her something else, "I thought after four years, when I got out, I could get a job and we'd settle wherever ya wanted to. We could start having babies like ya always wanted. That's what I wanted too. For us to be a family Beth."

At the mention of babies her tears start to fall and he can hear the hurt and anger in her voice when she says, "I knew there was a chance there was going to be a baby after what we did, and after they took you away from me I prayed so hard there would be. I never wanted anything more than to have your baby. When it didn't happen, when I wasn't pregnant and you were gone I...I...I thought about just leaving too, but Maggie broke the bathroom door down and stopped me."

Although her story's not real clear he understands exactly what she's saying, and he can no longer control his impulses. He's out of his chair and dropping to his knees in front of her. His arms wrap around her waist and he holds her tight, his head resting in her lap as he pulls her closer and says "Dammit Beth, I'm such a worthless piece of shit. I just never stop hurtin' you."

She can't keep herself from running her fingers through his hair as she bends down, softly kisses his head and whispers, "Daryl…no…"

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't be mad, we'll pick up right there next Friday. In the meantime, please leave a comment. Next chapter they'll hear more of each other's stories and we'll see if they decide to give it all another try. Thank you so much, stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much you guys!
> 
> Well, our couple has reunited, now what? There's a whole lot of talking and some closeness going on this chapter. I hope you enjoy!

00

He lifts his head from her lap as he turns his face towards hers. Neither of them moves as they quietly stare into each other's eyes, and neither has to wonder what the other is thinking. They can see the longing as they yearn desperately for the closeness they once shared.

He can't stop himself as he reaches up and cradles her face in his hands, and she makes no attempt to stop him as he slowly draws her close enough for their lips to meet. He kisses her gently at first, but then passion wins and there doesn't seem to be any holding back.

Until suddenly he stops.

He falls back, laying on the floor as he swings his arm around and covers his face, muttering, "I'm sorry. We shouldn't be doing that stuff. We need to talk, we need to clear things up. I screwed up so bad, Beth," He moves the arm away, looks to her and tells her what he feels, "I wanna make things right and I hope you can forgive me."

There's a lot of ways she could react in this moment. She could yell and scream at him, she could call him names and tell him he ruined her life. She could punch him if she wanted to and she knows he would never fight back. Not physically. Not ever.

She doesn't want to do any of those things. What good could yelling at him possibly do now? What she wants are answers. She's done with denying her desire to be close to him, to hold and to be held. She hopes she'll be able to believe what he tells her and forgive him, and that together they'll be able to move on.

What if after all these years they really can make this work?

So instead of yelling, screaming or punching, she slowly slips off the sofa and lays down next to the man she's been longing to have hold her.

She rests her head on his shoulder and tentatively lays her arm across his stomach. His desire for closeness won't be denied either and as he wraps his arm around her shoulders and draws her small body tightly into his, smiling when she doesn't try to ease away.

She whispers, "Tell me everything that happened Daryl."

She feels his chest rise and fall as he breathes in deeply, exhales and promises, "Alright. I'll tell ya anything you wanna know. I ain't interested in keeping secrets from ya Beth. I done that once, but never again."

As he begins to speak his hand drifts up to her hair, his fingers wandering slowly through the soft curls as he tells her, "The first few months after they took me all I thought about was gettin' away. Well, I guess the truth is I never quit tryin' ta get out. But it was worse for them in the beginning, I wouldn't even talk. I just hollered for them ta let me out. That was all I could think about girl, gettin' home to you."

"I guess I's actin' up pretty good, being irrational and stuff is what they said. A danger to myself. Enough that they thought for sure I was gonna try and do myself in. And they didn't have any doubt I was gonna keep trying to bust out."

"That's why they kept me in that institution place instead of placing me with a foster family or sending me to the Boy's Ranch. They couldn't chance it. They couldn't be lettin' some ward of the state, especially a kid, kill hisself on their watch. That wouldn't be good publicity."

He breathes a sigh and says, "I admit it Beth, they had a lot to put up with from me. I was an ornery little shithead for sure. Anyway, I know they felt like they needed to keep an eye on me and truth was they did, cuz I had a plan. I thought if I could just get out I'd be home free. I knew a place I could hide up in the hills, my Dad's old moonshine shack. Once I busted free I's gonna hunker down there til I turned 18, just live off the land. And I was gonna get word to ya ta come see me. I thought we'd have our time together whenever you could sneak away, but I never could break free of that place."

It tugs at her heart to think about his plan and how maybe it could have worked and they could have been together, but the adult in her knows none of that would have been what was best for Daryl. She asks, "What was it they wanted you to tell them?"

There are a couple of things he dreads having to tell her, this is one of them, "They wanted me ta talk about my Dad. What happened was, that first day they picked me up they ended up takin' me to the hospital. I was outta control, that's the truth. They were gonna give me something ta calm me down, a shot. I fought but it didn't matter. I had ta take my shirt off for some exam. That's when they seen the scars. They already knew my Dad abandoned me and they knew I wasn't the only one he scarred up. He'd just beat the crap out of his girlfriend."

She's angry with his father but she doesn't make a comment. What could she possibly say? She just continues listening quietly as he talks on, "I guess they figured if they could get me to make a statement about how I got the scars, and maybe even get me to testify in court, they could lock the old man up for a long time."

Then he tells her why he never told them anything. Why he kept his secrets, "I knew I couldn't tell em, I knew he'd figure out a way to make me pay if I talked."

She can sense he's agitated and she could swear she hears his heart pounding harder and faster. She remembers exactly how he is when he's forming his thoughts into words. She waits patiently until he begins to speak again, "See, my Dad was in jail for beating up his girlfriend, that's how they found me. Shit, but even though that woman was hurt real bad she wouldn't press charges against him."

She can feel him shaking his head as he keeps talking, "They still managed to get his ass locked up for abandoning me, but it was only about a month later that the woman, even though he damn near killed her, she bailed him out."

He sighs deeply and she can hear the anger in his tone when he says, "Why people do the shit they do I got no idea."

That's when she asks the million-dollar question, "Where's your Dad now? What became of him?"

It's another question he dreaded but he's already promised her and himself he's not going to lie, and he's not leaving anything out. He pulls his arm from around her and raises them both up to a seated position. They sit cross legged facing each other, and close. So close. He takes a chance and takes her hand, happy and relieved when she lets him.

He's furiously chewing that lower lip until finally he begins to speak again, "Anyway, it was about six months later that my brother Merle got let out of the pen early - prison overcrowding or some bullshit like that. I thought he had about four years ta go, but it turned out he had just two more and then none of that mattered anyhow. It was sumthin' about how he hadn't been convicted of a violent crime, he was doing his time for selling and using. Anyway, he lucked out and they gave him an early parole."

She doesn't know what any of that has to do with the question of where his Dad is, but Daryl is talking and she's going to let him keep talking until she finds out the whole story.

"So anyway, as part of his parole he was supposed ta stay there in Lowndes County, but Merle don't always do what folks tell him to do. He couldn't come see me either, but he has his ways and his pals and he got a message to me about all of it. Ya know, how he was out of the pen and how he was mostly keeping his nose clean, how he even found himself a job," Then those piercing blue eyes are on hers and he adds, "and how he was gonna eliminate the biggest problem I ever had. I knew then just what he had in mind."

Man, he doesn't want to tell her the next part but he's got to. Not just to be honest with her, but to let her know he has all the faith and trust in her. "Two days after I got that note they found my Dad's body floatin' down the river, and I got no doubt in my mind it was Merle's hand that done it."

She gasps and she can feel her body tremble. It's awful and shocking and all those terrible things, and yet, she can't help but feel a little bit relieved by the news. The man was so cruel, he tortured Daryl and Daryl's Mom, his brother and others. Now he'll never be able to do those things again. He can't hurt Daryl anymore. He's gone for good. She asks the big question, "Is your brother in jail again?"

He smiles, "Nah, the last I heard from him he's down in Florida shacked up with some hot Mama and livin' the dream."

The stunned look on her face has him realizing what he just said, "Hey, I'm sorry ta talk like that, I's just repeating how Merle told it ta me. I shoulda thought a minute." He continues to be honest, "The thing about Merle, he's rough and he's ornery and he's done a lotta things that maybe he shouldn't have, but the thing is Beth, he's my brother. I know in his mind that what he done, he thought he was doing it for me. Taking care of me."

She nods and agrees, "Yes, it seems that way and it's not my place to judge him." She smiles and squeezes his hand as she adds, "And Daryl, I know you're not the same man he is. I'm just glad he's alright." And for Daryl's sake she truly is.

The hits just keep coming when she asks, "So Daryl, you still haven't explained to me why you came to town and didn't bother to see me? What could possibly be the reason for that?" She's not sure she wants to know, and by the look on his face she's not sure he wants to tell her.

He chews the side of his thumb a minute, nodding his head up and down, and then he tells it just like it happened. "Back when I's working at the restaurant I was puttin' most of my money in the bank, I had a lot stashed. I had big plans for comin' to see ya when I got out of that place, it was gonna be a surprise. So, as soon as I was out I went to the bank branch there in Atlanta and I got enough money ta buy two sets of clothes, a pair of shoes, and a bus ticket here to Clausenville. I got a little spending cash for my wallet and I left the rest at the bank. I was on the first bus out."

He's embarrassed by the next part but it kind of makes him smile too, "When I tell ya this next part, try'n remember I's young, just barely 18. I'd just gotten ta town after being locked up for two years, and I was finally gonna see my girl."

He looks down, bites his lip and continues, "I thought when I did see her, and after I visited her folks and did all that stuff, maybe her and me would get some time alone." He pauses, breaths in and lets it roll, "I hoped we'd get close Beth, like we did that last night before they took me. So, I stopped at the drug store ta get something to protect you."

His face is flushed and the way hers is burning she's sure it's cherry red. The silence in the room is deafening.

But she can't help trying to picture her handsome young Daryl strolling into the drug store to buy condoms. The image in her mind's eye and her nerves makes her giggle. Her laughter is contagious and for a minute they get a break from all the heavy talk.

Just as quickly as the laughter came it comes to an end and she asks, "And so…then what?"

He nods and responds, "And so I walk in and I seen ya there. You were holding a baby and for a split second I thought it might be ours, yours and mine. But no, it couldn't be, the timing was way off. Our baby woulda been older. Anyway, then I seen the Asian guy, I didn't know he was your brother in law. He walked up to ya carrying one of them shopping basket deals full of baby items. He put an arm around your shoulder and I heard him ask, 'Ready to go Beth?'"

Now they're both chewing an upper lip, both thinking about the way it could have been. Both wishing he would have walked up to her and spoken. None of this had to happen. He's frustrated, she can see it in the way all of his tics are on full display, and she can hear it in his agitated voice, "I know I shoulda spoken to ya, but I didn't. Instead a that, I got some guy who was milling around in front of the liquor store ta get me a bottle. I took the bottle back to where my old trailer was. It was gone of course, but there was a spot behind the old office building and that's where I parked my dumb ass. I got good and drunk. Made myself sicker'n a dog."

Tears are quietly streaming down her cheeks and she asks, "And…"

"The next day I got on the bus back to Atlanta. I called Doc Denise as soon as I stepped off the bus. I told her I's ready ta go, where do I sign and the sooner the better. A week later I was on the bus with a bunch of other recruits headed to boot camp at Great Lakes, Michigan." He shrugs her way, looks in her eyes and quietly says, "Go Navy."

She doesn't ask her biggest question first. She's not ready. Instead she asks, "So after boot camp, then what?"

He isn't even aware that he's rubbing his thumb softly over the back of her hand, but he needs that closeness with her and she needs it too. "From there I went to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. That's where Navy Equipment Operators Class "A" Technical School is. The plan was for me to be a SeaBee, the construction branch of the Navy. I took 10 weeks of training there. We got skilled in operating asphalt equipment, bulldozers, graders, cranes, forklifts, backhoes, and trucks. You name it."

"Fort Leonard was my permanent base, but I got deployed regularly for seven months at a time, then I'd go back to Fort Leonard. I was all over the place, even overseas. It was good for me, good discipline, good school, good training. I learned a lot in the Navy and I liked the Navy way of doing things. But I left when my enlistment was up. I didn't think it was the life for me permanently and I'd been applying to a couple places. I lucked into a good job, I heard from the State of Georgia just a week before I mustered out."

Her tone is snippy when she asks, "So then what? You were out of the Navy and you had a job, but it's still been almost two years since you got out. Where have you been?"

He's a little surprised at her snapping at him that way, but hey, he gets it. She's shocked and she's pissed. He could start a big battle, defending himself and acting like the little asshole he once was, or he can try and explain. He'd rather try to explain. This means too much to let his pride and bad temper get in the way.

He's not dressing it up, he's sticking to the facts, "So anyway, I had the job lined up and went ta work. Mostly I've been assigned to working bridge repair and rebuilding. There's a lot of old bridges and overpasses in Georgia that need shoring up or need to be replaced."

He shrugs, "At first I's just renting a room but a guy I worked with was in a big jam. The money kind. He was desperate. He had this trailer here he'd bought for fun, but he was six months behind on payments and the wolf was at the door. He was in way over his head between it and his house, his car and his family. So I thought, why not? I lived in trailers most of my life, why not a nice new one? I paid it off and got it in my name and him and me we called it even."

She states it simply, "It still must have cost a lot of money Daryl."

"Not too bad. He got outta debt and I got my new home for a rock bottom price. And anyway, I had some money. I'd saved most every bit of the money I made while I was still at Rancher's Cut, and I didn't take out much before I went in the Navy. The Navy fed me and housed me, so I put most of my pay right into that same account," He smiles and shrugs, "except my second year in I bought the truck. Used but like new and I had it paid off when I got out."

She can't help smiling at an old memory from that first day when he walked her home from school, "And I see you finally got yourself a motorcycle."

He snorts out a little laugh and says, "Yeah I did. I still owe on that. I guess I been spoiling myself pretty good. I s'pose that's what a man does when he doesn't have a family."

They both feel the mood suddenly darken.

He tries to get it back to where it was when he hurriedly explains about the transfer, and his big chance to get back to Clausenville and her. "I didn't really think I was gonna have a shot with you Beth. I figured I was dreaming, but I was gonna try. I planned to ride out and see your folks today."

"To the farm? Really?"

"Yeah, really."

He can't remember ever talking so much, and he doesn't think he can stand to hear himself talk for a minute longer. He wants to hear her story. What's his sweet girl been doing all these years? He asks, "Tell me Beth. Whatcha been doin' girl? Tell me all of it, please."

Most of it is hard, and so emotionally draining, but she tells him all about the those few months when he first left. His heart is breaking for her and he's thanking God for Maggie busting in the bathroom door, and he's feeling a lot of guilt thinking about her sweet Mama keeping her home for the rest of the year.

All he can do is say it again, "I'm sorry Beth, so sorry."

She's been through a lot these past few years and she's well aware of all the realities of the situation, "None of that was your fault Daryl. They had you locked up somewhere and you never even knew. It was awful but with some help I got through it."

"I had so much support from Mama, Daddy, Maggie, Glenn, Amy and Caesar, plus I had counseling like you did. Besides that I kept myself busy with the same old stuff I'd always done, music, drawing, taking care of the animals and writing in my journal."

Watching her talk and thinking about her sadness and all the time he missed with her, he can't stop himself from doing it, he leans in and as he kisses her cheek he takes her hand again and softly squeezes it. That's all it takes, tears are rolling down her cheeks again when she confesses, "It was miserable, I was miserable. But the next year when I went back to school I met someone and everything got a little better."

His heart just froze and he feels like he can't breathe, but he gets the words out, "You met someone?"

"Yes, he was new at school and he was in my glass. His name is Paul, but he has long hair and the most beautiful eyes and everyone just calls him Jesus."

He has to ask, he can't stand not knowing, "So you and him then? You're together?"

She smiles and shakes her head no, "We're not together. He, well when he started at Clausen High he was like me. He was heartbroken and lonely because he'd lost someone too. They're together now, they have been since graduation, but before that his folks moved him here to get him away from his true love."

"Shit, why? Was she some kind of trouble?"

"No, it was because his true love is another guy."

He's more relieved than anything else, "Ah, okay. So you and him, what? Cried on each other's shoulders?"

His flippant way has her angry, "Are you making fun of me and my friends?"

"No, no, no way."

"Because of Jesus I had someone to kind of double date with, like going to the movies with Caesar and Amy, or out for burgers and stuff. And it was good for him too. His Mom and Dad thought he had a girlfriend and they laid off of him. We went to prom and everything. But none of that was as important as the fact that we were friends and we were there for each other, broken hearts and all."

"He still lives here in town, and Aaron's here now too. They have a little girl named Gracie they adopted and they're a real sweet family. I go over there and visit with them a lot."

He means it when he says, "I'd like to meet them sometime."

She smiles and shrugs, "Maybe you will. Him and Aaron and Gracie, they're like family to me."

She tells him about Maggie and Glenn moving to town and about Glenn being an entrepreneur, and how he owns the big pizza parlor and family fun center, "It's new since you've been gone, he built it four years ago. It's the most popular spot in Clausenville. He also owns a small sandwich place, and he just opened the coffee stand. Glenn and Maggie have been wonderful to me."

He asks, "So where ya living?"

A look comes over her face, not quite sadness, not quite embarrassment. She answers, "Oh. Um, well nowhere in particular."

"Nowhere particular? What does that mean?"

"Well I tried living alone, but I just didn't like it. So sometimes I stay a while with Amy and Caesar, or Maggie and Glenn, even Aaron and Jesus. Sometimes I stay with Mama and Daddy. Everyone's really good to me and wherever I am I try to be helpful."

Shit, that doesn't sound good to him. She can't find a job she wants to keep or a place she wants to live. He really did screw up bad. He's about to ask her a question about all that, but she has her own question. A question she's been waiting to ask.

Her heart can't take the weight of wondering any longer. She's the one who's biting a lip when she looks down and quietly asks, "What about girlfriends Daryl? Have you had many?"

He shouldn't lose his temper. He's determined not to. Besides, he asked her practically the same question. Still adrenaline is rushing through his body and he's on his feet so fast it startles her. She can tell by his look and the tone of his voice he's hurt, "Girlfriends? Ya kiddin' me Beth? What the…didn't I tell ya that you were always gonna be the only one for me? That I's gonna love you forever?" He's pacing the floor now and shaking his head when he adds, "I might be a dumbass but I ain't a liar. I meant what I said. I never wanted no one but you."

Finally, he calms down long enough to think it through. He's still not going to lie to her and so he confesses, "Sure, sometimes I thought I'd like to try'n meet someone and get on with my life. So I'd go out with my mates when I's in the Navy, and my work buds when I got out. Once in a while I'd talk to some pretty girl."

Beth doesn't like hearing these things, it hurts to think of him thinking about other women, but she still wants to know.

His emotions are on high too, and he looks both sad and defiant when he tells her, "But I couldn't do it. I never could. I just…I'd think of you and everything we meant to each other, all the words we said and the promises we made," He breathes in a shaky breath, "And the thing we did…I knew, it was never gonna happen with anyone but you Beth. I knew I still loved ya and I knew I always would. So every time I went out like that thinking I'd meet a girl, it ended the same. I'd be the guy sitting back in the corner all alone, drowning his sorrows in a bucket of beer."

Then he's angry again, not at her, at himself, "Shit Beth, I thought you were married so what difference would it make?"

That's very sad and all, but what about her? She snips at him, "Well gee Daryl, I hope you don't want too much sympathy from me. I was alone, lonely and brokenhearted too."

He manages to be both angry and contrite, "I ain't expecting sympathy girl, I know I put you through a lotta shit, but that don't mean I wasn't goin' through it too. I know how stupid I was, and if I had it ta do all over again I guess everything would be different. It would all be just swell. But I can't change what I done, all I can do is try'n make it up, try'n convince you I'm worth takin' another chance on."

He's afraid he'll be the one crying next and he turns away from her and walks toward the window. She's on her feet then and just like that long ago day when two kids were out fishing, she wraps her arms around him and lays her head on his back. She feels his body shudder with emotion and she's sure there are tears. She doesn't hold back any longer, she lets him know how she feels, "I want to try too, I never stopped loving you either Daryl."

He slowly turns and as he gently cradles her face in strong hands he smiles that little smile and asks, "Ya think you would wanna try this thing again?"

She looks right back in his eyes and says, "No. I don't want to try Daryl. We've waited way too long to just try. I want you and me to promise each other we're going to make this work."

His mouth is on hers and the kiss is just as deep and passion filled as the one they shared earlier.

00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems they've spilled it all and they're going to give this thing another try. Please leave a comment.   
> I hope to see you back next Friday for more of I'll Walk With You, until then, thank you so much, stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this first chapter and that you'll leave a comment. I'll be back next Friday with a new chapter of, "I'll Walk With You," and I hope to see you back here too. In the meantime, thank you, stay safe and remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee


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